Niger activist Ibrahim Oumarou Yacouba fights to make so-called ‘fifth wives’ heard

In Niger, the Wahaya practice allows men to bypass Islamic law's limit of four wives by obtaining "fifth wives" who serve the household without legal rights or protections. Ibrahim Oumarou Yacouba, a Nigerien activist working with the Global Forum of Communities Discriminated on Work and Descent (GFoD), advocates for these marginalized women who are often sold into this arrangement as young as 12 years old. The caste systems in Niger enforce strict hierarchies where certain groups, including the Wahaya, face severe discrimination, preventing them from accessing education, healthcare, and equal opportunities.