Why was the 2008 ECOWAS ruling on slavery considered important for human rights?

The 2008 Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Court of Justice ruling was a landmark moment for human rights because it held a government directly accountable for failing to protect its citizens from slavery.

Although slavery is illegal, it has remained prevalent in Niger and other parts of West Africa. In this specific case, the court found the Nigerien government guilty of negligence for failing to enforce the country’s existing antislavery laws to protect a woman from enslavement. Activists celebrated the verdict as a historic victory, viewing it as a powerful precedent that could compel Niger and other nations bound by ECOWAS rulings to more rigorously enforce antislavery legislation and uphold the fundamental dignity and freedom of all individuals.12