There were no reports of abuses or discrimination based on religious affiliation, belief, or practice. In general, societal respect for religious freedom was characterized by strong support for both government- and nongovernmental organization (NGO)-sponsored events supporting tolerance, non-discrimination, and dialogue.
There was one report of religious-based tension during the year. On November 11, a group of Muslim women protested against Christian evangelistic activity organized by a foreign preacher. On November 16, a group of Muslim men led a similar protest and issued a statement calling on the government to ban the campaign. However, the government ensured that the Christian program took place without incident from November 16-20.
On October 12, the Islamic Council of Niger focused its ordinary session on the need to fight negative and dangerous behaviors, including intolerance. The Council is a federation of Islamic organizations that represents the Islamic community in its dealings with the government and makes consensual decisions on issues such as dates of holiday observances.
In September a local NGO in partnership with the Islamic-Christian Relations Commission held an awareness-raising and training session on interfaith dialogue for 30 journalists. Topics included the Islamic and Christian theological tenets of interfaith dialogue and their role in promoting peace and tolerance between the two communities. Various Christian and Muslim leaders made presentations.
On January 19, the Alliance of Christians and Muslims for the Fight against AIDS organized a series of conferences in various schools in order to educate the academic community on religious texts against stigmatization and all forms of discrimination, including but not limited to discrimination of people living with HIV/AIDS.
It was common for Muslims and Christians to attend one another’s festivities during these holidays.