Even in the 21st Century, slavery exists as a persistent aspect of the human condition. One woman, a citizen of Niger, found the courage and resolve to stand up against her oppression and oppressors. According to International Herald Tribune:

NIAMEY, Niger: A West African court on Monday ordered Niger to pay compensation to a woman who was sold into slavery at age 12 and held for a decade. It ruled the country had failed to implement its anti-slavery laws.

Hadijatou Mani, now 24, was sold in central Niger when she was a child. She has testified that she was forced to work as a domestic servant and as a sexual slave until 2005, when her former master freed her in an apparent bid to legalize his relationship with her as his wife. ...

More facts:

A regional court run by the 15-nation Economic Community of West African States ruled that in the Mani case Niger was "responsible for the inaction of its administrative and judicial arms," according to a statement read by court president Aminata Sanogo.

The court ordered the government to pay Mani compensation of 10 million West African francs (about $20,000). She had asked for 50 million francs.

I bet, to most of you reading this, $20,000 does not seem like enough to compensate for Mani's brutal captivity. But this case is bigger than money Mani will receive. The West Africa Court's ruling has the potential to encourage countries like Niger to pay more attention to enforcing its anti-slavery laws.

Mani originally lodged her complaint with the national courts in Niger, but moved the suit to the West African court because she said she did not expect to get justice in her country's court.

"If Niger's judicial process had functioned normally, there would have been no need to call on an international court to re-judge this case," said her lawyer, Chaibou Kader.

The case is unprecedented in Niger. Decisions of the regional court are binding on member states and could set a precedent throughout the region for tougher enforcement of anti-slavery laws.

The court has few powers to force governments comply, but a Niger spokesman said the country would pay the ordered compensation.