Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper, Prepared by the Government of Niger Niamey, January 2002

Niger PRSP Status Report 2005

Accelerated Development and Poverty Strategy 2008-2012

Republic of Niger
Unicameral legislature:

Assemblée Nationale du Niger
http://www.assemblee.ne/index.htm

The National Assembly of Niger has been an active member of the APRN since 2004 and the APRN works closely with its local Parliamentarian Network for Poverty Reduction . For the community monitoring pilot project in Niger, the local network for Poverty Reduction analyzed micro-credit programs geared towards women. This program was very efficient and almost 100% of the women were able to pay back their loans, including interest. However, not a single woman was able to reinvest after the program was over, which makes the impact of the program negligible. This has highlighted the need for banks to have a line of credit where it is not necessary to have a guarantor. The pilot project did discover that as a result of the government’s micro-credit scheme, women have become more aware of their rights.

The government has allocated a portion of its budget for the local Parliamentarian Network for Poverty Reduction, thus demonstrating its commitment to poverty reduction and the Network.

For more information on the pilot project, please contact: Mr. Mamane Harissou Soulemane, Conseiller Technique: harissoul@yahoo.fr

Official name République du Niger Population 12,5 million (2006) Capital Niamey Type of legislature Unicameral Women in Parliament 12.4% (2006) Major languages French (official), Hausa, Djerma % of population below poverty line 63% (1993 est.) HIV-AIDS prevalence 1.2% (2003 est.) Literacy rate male: 25.8% female: 9.7% (2003 est.) GDP per capita $1,000 (2006 est.) HDI 2006 0.311, ranks 177 out of 177 countries