52nd Universal Periodic Review of human rights: UK statement on Niger
UK Statement at Niger's Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council in Geneva.
Thank you Mr Vice-President,
We welcome Niger’s continued engagement with the UPR process.
These include efforts to advance and protect the rights of women and girls, especially in terms of access to essential health services and protection from gender-based violence, as well as steps taken to improve conditions of detention and maintain a moratorium on the death penalty.
We recommend that Niger:
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Continues advancing the rights of women and girls by strengthening laws to support survivors of sexual violence, including access to specialist health services, and by further deterring child marriage through the criminalisation of those who enable it.
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Enshrines the abolition of the death penalty in law, in line with the Second Optional Protocol to the ICCPR, and by continuing the commutation of existing death sentences.
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Supports continued monitoring of human rights in Niger, including minority rights, by establishing the planned National Observatory for Human Rights and Fundamental Liberties and committing to protecting its independence.
Thank you.