In 2008, a Human Rights Advisor (HRA) was deployed to the United Nations Country Team (UNCT) in Niger as part of the ‘Action 2’ programme with the aim of strengthening the human rights capacity of the UNCT. The HRA has responsibility for advising on strategies to reinforce national human rights capacity, providing education and training on human rights issues, providing technical assistance to the government in meeting its international human rights obligations and integrating human rights into the work of the UNCT and the Resident Coordinator.
Historically, Niger has endured ethnically motivated violence, usually arising from disputes between the Tuareg and Toubou rebels. The last coup d’etat took place in February 2010 and resulted in the ousting of President Tandja and dissolution of his government. The coup was staged in response to a unilateral change made to the country’s constitution.
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