West African Court Convicts Government of Niger

(28 Oct 08 - RV) Human rights groups today hailed a decision by a West African Court of Justice who convicted the government of Niger of failing to protect a 12-year-old girl from being sold into slavery. The Court yesterday said the state had failed in its obligations to the girl, who was sold into slavery as a child in 1996 for around $500 and regularly beaten and sexually abused. The case against the state was brought with the help of British-based anti-slavery organisations to press African governments to stamp out decent based slavery, which is rife in some African countries despite legal prohibitions. The court sentenced Niger’s government to pay over 19 thousand dollars in damages. Romana Cacchioli, Africa Programme Coordinator  for Anti-Slavery International told us more about the landmark decision….