Niger, Born a Woman in Abala: Patriarchy and Jihadist Pressure in the Western Regions of the Country

ROMA – The deep inequality between men and women has been a reality since time immemorial in the department of Abala (western Niger), but the presence of the local branch of the Islamic State makes the situation worse. This group imposes strict rules on women, affecting their livelihood and participation in civic life. This is what we learn from the website of Crisis Group an independent organization that works to prevent wars and define intelligent peace policies.

The constraints that weigh on women. The constraints on women’s lives, reinforced by jihadists, have also been exacerbated by the military’s arrival in power in 2023. The coup and the withdrawal of some partners undermine the efforts of previous authorities to improve the place of women and girls in society. Niger and its international partners should work to increase women’s and girls’ access to basic services that meet their needs in IS-Sahel-dominated areas. Donors should support initiatives that promote women’s participation in political life in rural areas.

What happened in the last 5 years. Over the past five years, the jihadist insurgency Islamic State of the Sahel (IS-Sahel) has tightened its grip on the Tillabéri region of western Niger, particularly the rural department of Abala. The group – one of two main jihadist organizations operating in this part of the country – imposes separate rules for women and men, punishing those who do not respect its strict interpretation of Islamic law. While men tend to suffer the most brutal treatment, the jihadists exert particular constraints and pressure on women, who were already suffering from unequal treatment well before the emergence of IS-Sahel. The 2023 coup and the withdrawal of some partners have exacerbated these difficulties, weakening the efforts of previous governments to reduce Niger’s exceptionally high birth rate and improve women’s access to education.

The price of insurrections. The department of Abala, which has about 215,000 inhabitants, has suffered for years from the consequences of the insurgencies based in neighboring Mali. The security forces have largely abandoned the rural areas. But they have maintained a permanent base in the city of Abala, ensuring so far a minimum of public services, even for the many people who have fled the countryside to find refuge there. EI-Sahel exerts its influence in the rest of the department, especially in the isolated villages near the border with Mali. To enforce its rules and punish those who break them, the group relies on a network of informants, carries out brutal raids and exercises often fatal violence.

The coup d’état of 2023. In addition to the difficulties caused by IS-Sahel’s influence, Abala department faces the same challenges as Niger as a whole. The 2023 coup led major donors, such as the European Union (EU), to suspend budget support and halt most development aid activities. Niger’s traditional partners (including the EU) continue to provide humanitarian aid, but the new authorities are making their work more difficult by imposing stricter rules on agencies and NGOs, such as requiring their convoys to be escorted by the military. These procedures have made aid distribution more expensive and difficult. A border dispute with Benin, whose port of Cotonou opens a vital trade corridor for Niger – a country with no direct access to the land – has further exacerbated these problems.

Humanitarian needs are increasing. This is all the more worrying as humanitarian needs in the region continue to grow. ISIS-Sahel brutalizes civilians, especially boys and men who refuse to join its ranks or who share information with state officials. The home confinement of women and girls prevents many from working and supporting themselves. More generally, insecurity has exacerbated existing discriminatory practices. In a context marked by violence and extreme poverty, there is an increased risk that girls will drop out of school and marry at a young age, while women widowed by the conflict must live by social norms that increasingly deprive them of the possibility of leaving. Finally, inter-community relations, already tense before the emergence of ISIS-Sahel, have further deteriorated because of the conflict.

Not all women object. Not all women in and around Abala oppose the jihadists’ strict rules. Patriarchal norms have long been deeply rooted in the region. Some even say they welcome rigid dress and behavior codes. Others hope their isolation allows them to escape the difficult work. Despite growing insecurity, some women have remained in their villages, preferring a life subject to varying degrees of jihadist coercion to the uncertainty of displacement.