Niger

Type practised

Type I and Type II are the most commonly practised forms of female genital cutting (FGC) in Niger. However, Type IV (known in Niger as “Dangouria”) is also practised.

Age

75.7% of women aged 15-49 who have undergone FGC were cut before the age of five.

Note: this data is based on a small sample only.

Source: 28 Too Many

Agent

Girls in Niger undergo FGC by traditional practitioners (85%).

Source: 28 Too Many

Legal status

Illegal. FGC was criminalised in 2003.

National progress

• 1992 – Since 1992, UNICEF and the government of Niger have collaborated closely with local NGOs and community leaders on programmes to stimulate behaviour change around FGC
• 2003 – An amendment to Niger’s Penal Code criminalises and punishes all forms of FGC

Enforcement

Niger’s 2003 legislation made FGC practices punishable by six months’ to three years’ imprisonment. There have been very few prosecutions, however, and data is extremely limited.

Human Development Index ranking

189 in 2018 index, based on 2017 data. This is the lowest ranking worldwide.

Infant mortality rate

57 deaths per 1,000 live births (2015).

Source: 28 Too Many

Maternal mortality rate

553 deaths per 100,000 live births (2015).

Source: 28 Too Many

Trends in FGC prevalence

FGC in Niger decreased from 5% in 1998 to 2.2% in 2006, according to UNICEF. What data there is suggests the overall prevalence rate has remained fairly static since then, at around 2%.

Prevalence breakdown

By region

FGC in Niger is mainly practised in areas bordering neighbouring countries in which prevalence remains high. The south-west Tillaberi region, near the border with Burkina Faso and Mali, has the highest FGC prevalence rate (9.2% of women aged 15-49). In most other regions of Niger, the prevalence rate is less than 2%.

Source: UNICEF, based on DHS 2012

Resources and Media