NIGER

AT A GLANCE
Official Name: Republic of Niger
Chief of State: Djibo Salou
Next election: December 2009 although no election scheduled
Capital: Niamey
Population: 15.3 million (UN, 2009)
Independence: 1960 from France
Human Development Index: 158 of 182 countries (UN, 2009)
Gender Gap Index: N/A, but the Gender Development Index is 155th of 157 countries (2008)
Gross National Income per capita: US $340 (World Bank, 2009)

Strengthening Gender Analysis and Budgeting in Niger

Status: Closed, 2009
Local Organization: Ministère de la promotion de la femme et de la protection de l’enfant (MPF/PE)
Canadian Experts: Christiane Pelchat, President of the Conseil du Statut de la Femme, Gouvernement du Québec and Yasmina Chouakri
Case Study: Gender Budgeting: Influencing Policy Choices in Niger and Ukraine by Gordon Evans, Marie Fortier-Balogh and Diana Ivancic-Skinner
Presentation: Gender-based Analysis in Niger by Yasmina Chouakri
Paper: What is Gender Mainstreaming? by Isabelle Solon Helal and Sandra Le Courtois

A major determinant of Niger’s low human development index is the exclusion of women from the socio-economic and political development processes of Niger. Canadian expert Christiane Pelchat met with the Ministère de la promotion de la femme et de la protection de l’enfant (MPF/PE) to develop an action plan to strengthen the capacities of the Ministry in gender analysis and gender budgeting.  Yasmina Chouakri spent a month in Niger and developed a grid for sex-differentiated analysis. This grid is currently being used by three key ministries to implement Niger's National Policy on Gender. 

Preventing and Managing Food Crises in Niger

Status: Closed, 2009
Local Organization: Food Crisis Response Unit (CCA), Cabinet of the Prime Minister
Canadian Experts: Francine Marier and Ivan Ménard, École nationale d'administration publique

As one of the poorest and drought-prone countries in the world, Niger has long struggled to feed its citizens. In 2005, it suffered its second worst food crisis in history when a third of its population was threatened by famine with women and children being disproportionately affected. In collaboration with Niger’s Food Crisis Response Unit (CCA) of the Cabinet of the Prime Minister, DDD experts Francine Marier and Ivan Ménard helped to establish an effective monitoring and evaluation system for CCA to follow-up on projects aimed at increasing food security. By developing training modules on evaluation-monitoring tools and providing training to a number of local trainers, this DDD initiative helped the Government of Niger strengthen its food crisis prevention and management system.

Ensuring Children’s Right to Education

Status: Closed, 2008
Local Organization: National Ministry of Education
Canadian Experts: Paul Vachon and Jean-Claude Cadieux

Niger’s 10-year education development plan (PDDE) was created in 2003 to improve the accessibility and quality of education and to build the institutional capacities of Niger's Ministry of Education. By helping to develop a plan of action to implement the institutional development component of the PDDE, DDD experts Paul Vachon and Jean-Claude Cadieux provided the Ministry of Education with sufficient resources to ensure successful implementation of the PDDE.

Reforming the Public Procurement System

Status: Closed, 2009
Local Organization: Public Procurement Regulation Authority (PPRA)
Canadian Experts: Sylvie Vachon, conseillère en marchés publics au Secrétariat du Conseil du Trésor, and Louise Charette

Procurement is considered a cornerstone of good governance by mobilizing goods and services for taxpayers using the principles of economy, efficiency and resource optimization. Canadian procurement experts Sylvie Vachon and Louise Charette travelled to Niger to assist the Public Procurement Regulation Authority (PPRA) in the implementation of Niger’s public procurement system. Together the Canadian experts developed a standard guide for tenders, a submission guide, as well as a monitoring and evaluation system to increase the capacities of the public procurement process. The Canadian experts also developed training modules in close collaboration with representatives from PPRA and provided training to procurement trainers. 

Developing a National Strategy on Statistics

Status: Closed, 2009
Local Organization: Institut National de Statistique (INS)
Canadian Experts: Camille Courchesne, formerly of the Institut de la statistique du Québec

Prior to the closing of this initiative, Canadian expert Camille Courchesne produced a workplan and did some preliminary work with Niger’s Institut National de Statistique (INS) to prepare a study guide and training sessions on conducting surveys, as well as on in-depth statistical analysis of information and environmental scans.

"I realized that within Official Statistics Agencies around the world it exists similar concerns and needs that facilitate communications as well as experience and knowledge sharing." - Camille Courchesne