COMMITTEE ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILDForty-third session11-29 September 2006

WRITTEN REPLIES BY THE GOVERNMENT OF BENIN TO THELIST OF ISSUES TO BE TAKEN UP IN CONNECTION WITH THE CONSIDERATION OF THE SECOND PERIODIC REPORT OFBENIN (CRC/C/BEN/2)*

[Received on 10 August 2006]

Part I

The Committee has requested additional and updated information on data and statistics and on general measures of implementation.

A. Data and statistics

A1.Please provide disaggregated data (by sex, age groups, urban and rural areas) covering the years 2003, 2004 and 2005 on the:

(a)Number and proportion of children under the age of 18 living in the State party

In 2003, there were 1,409,181 children under the age of 18 living in urban areas of Benin and 2,441,018 in rural areas.

In 2004, these figures rose to 1,467,380 in urban areas and 2,507,658 in rural areas.

In 2005, they rose to 1,527,983 in urban areas and 2,576,117 in rural areas.

The national growth rate is 3.25 per cent (4.13 per cent in urban areas and 2.73 per cent in rural areas).

The tables below illustrate population growth in both rural and urban areas for each age group, and indicate the proportion of children under the age of 18 living in Benin during the period in question.

Growth rate in rural areas	2.73	1.0273
Growth rate in urban areas	4.13	1.0413
National growth rate	3.25	1.0325	BENIN 6989936

Number of children under the age of 18 living inthe State party in 2003

Age group	All areas	Urban areas	Rural areas
Total	M	F	Total	M	F	Total	M	F
< 1 year	242 928
1-4 years	969 906			86 371			156 557
5-9 years	1 192 242			322 796			647 111
10-14 years	866 305			395 910			796 332
15-18 years	578 817			257 609			321 208
Total	3 850 119			1 409 181			2 441 018

Proportion of children under the age of 18 living inthe State party in 2003 (%)

Age group	All areas	Urban areas	Rural areas
Total	M	F	Total	M	F	Total	M	F
< 1 year	3.48			1.24			2.24
1-4 years	13.88			4.62			9.26
5-9 years	17.06			5.66			11.39
10-14 years	12.39			4.96			7.44
15-18 years	8.28			3.69			4.60
Total	55.08			20.16			34.92

Growth rate in rural areas	2.73	1.0273
Growth rate in urban areas	4.13	1.0413
National growth rate	3.25	1.0325	BENIN 7217109

Number of children under the age of 18 living inthe State party in 2004

Age group	All areas	Urban areas	Rural areas
Total	M	F	Total	M	F	Total	M	F
< 1 year	250 769			89 938			160 831
1-4 years	1 000 904			336 127			664 777
5-9 years	1 230 333			412 261			818 072
10-14 years	894 806			360 806			534 000
15-18 years	598 225			268 249			329 977
Total	3 975 038			1 467 380			2 507 658

Proportion of children under the age of 18 living inthe State party in 2004 (%)

Age group	All areas	Urban areas	Rural areas
Total	M	F	Total	M	F	Total	M	F
< 1 year	3.47			1.25			2.23
1-4 years	13.87			4.66			9.21
5-9 years	17.05			5.71			11.34
10-14 years	12.40			5.00			7.40
15-18 years	8.29			3.72			4.57
Total	55.08			20.33			34.75

Growth rate in rural areas	2.73	1.0273
Growth rate in urban areas	4.13	1.0413
National growth rate	3.25	1.0325	BENIN 7451665

Number of children under the age of 18 living inthe State party in 2005

Age group	All areas	Urban areas	Rural areas
Total	M	F	Total	M	F	Total	M	F
< 1 year	258 874			93 652			165 222
1-4 years	1 032 934			350 000			682 925
5-9 years	1 269 692			429 287			840 405
10-14 years	924 286			375 707			548 579
15-18 years	618 313			279 327			338 985
Total	4 104 100			1 527 983			2 576 117

Proportion of children under the age of 18 living inthe State party in 2005 (%)

Age group	All areas	Urban areas	Rural areas
Total	M	F	Total	M	F	Total	M	F
< 1 year	3.47			1.26			2.22
1-4 years	13.86			4.70			9.16
5-9 years	17.04			5.76			11.28
10-14 years	12.40			5.04			7.36
15-18 years	8.30			3.75			4.55
Total	55.08			20.51			34.57

Number of children in care in 2002

Age group	All areas	Urban areas	Rural areas
Total	M	F	Total	M	F	Total	M	F
All	121 991	42 207	79 784	43 963	13 237	30 726	78 028	28 970	49 058

(b)Number and proportion of children belonging to refugee and internally displaced groups

Benin accepted 1,641 child refugees in 2003, 1,645 in 2004 and 10,684 in 2005 and 2006.

The Togolese crisis led to a massive displacement of the population to Benin, which explains the rise observed in 2005.

The tables below indicate the proportion of children taken in by age group for the period in question.

Statistical data on the number and proportion of child refugees in 2003, 2004,2005 and 2006 (by age and sex, in urban and rural areas)

2003

	Urban and rural child refugees	Comments
Age group	M	%	F	%	Total	%	Main locations: Cotonou, Porto-Novo and Ouidah
0-4 years	223		238		461
5-17 years	600		580		1 180
Total	823		818		1 641

2004

	Urban and rural child refugees	Comments
Age group	M	%	F	%	Total	%	Main locations: Cotonou, Porto-Novo and Ouidah
0-4 years	252		261		513
5-17 years	578		554		1 132
Total	830		815		1 645

2005-2006

	Urban and rural child refugees	Comments
Age group	M	%	F	%	Total	%	Main locations: Cotonou, Agamè, Comè and Kpomassè
0-4 years	1 793		1 771		3 564
5-17 years	3 584		3 536		7 120
Total	5 377		5 307		10 684

Source: Office for Prevention and Civil Protection.

No annual statistics are available for unaccompanied displaced children.

However, during the Togolese crisis a total of 254 unaccompanied children were registered and housed in the camp in Comè (boys) or in shelters in Comè and Cotonou (girls).

Some 111 children who had become separated from their parents were identified in the camp in Agamè. Appropriate measures have been taken since the start of the crisis to identify and document them and to make inquiries.

As a result, 192 children have been reunited with members of their families (156 in Togo and 36 in Benin).

A2.In the light of article 4 of the Convention, please provide additional disaggregated data for the years 2004, 2005 and 2006 on budget allocations and trends (in absolute figures and in percentages of the national and regional budgets or gross domestic product) allocated to the implementation of the Convention, evaluating also the priorities for budgetary expenditures given to the following:

(a)Education (different types of education, i.e. pre-primary, primary and secondary)

Education is an inalienable right of the child. It is enshrined in the Beninese Constitution of 11 December 1990 and in subsequent legislation.

One of Benin’s priorities is to guarantee a quality education for every citizen, by enabling every child to develop their full potential through education, for their own personal development and for that of society, and guaranteeing primary education to all children of school age.

The budget allocated to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to achieve the country’s goals in the public sector was increased significantly between 2003 and 2006.

However, it cannot cover all educational needs.

Programme budgets from 2003 to 2006 (in thousands of francs)

Programme	2003	2004	2005	2006
Primary education	30 706 775	40 741 255	49 568 619	51 570 764
Secondary education	13 884 566	17 382 537	16 175 322	17 636 410
Administration	9 158 996	12 956 947	12 066 293	12 934 647
Total	53 750 337	71 080 739	77 810 234	82 141 821

Source: Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education.

It should be noted that the budget allocations for primary education also include nursery education. The other data requested are not available, but every effort is being made to make them available to the Committee very shortly.

(b)Health care (different types of health services, i.e. primary health care, vaccination programmes, adolescent health care and other health-care services for children)

The amounts budgeted for the implementation of the Convention in these areas are given in the following table:

Category	2004	2005	2006
Amount (millions of CFA francs)	%	Amount (millions of CFA francs)	%	Amount (millions of CFA francs)	%
Primary health care	14 940	32.7	14 860	31.7	15 786	32.3
Vaccination programme	3 636	8.0	3 289	7.0	5 412	11.1
Health care for children and adolescents health)	1 098	2.4	1 198	2.6	1 024	2.1
Development of partnership with private sector	150	0.3	250	0.5	280	0.6
Health budget	45 670	100.0	46 855	100.0	48 917	100.0

Source: Ministry of Health programme budgets.

This table shows that 32-33 per cent of the budget goes on primary health care. Vaccination accounts for 7-11 per cent of the budget and 2 per cent is devoted to health care for adolescents and children.

Efforts are under way to collect data that illustrate the priority given to the categories listed by the Committee.

(c)Programmes and services for children with disabilities

No budget data available.

However, a community-based rehabilitation programme is being implemented at 31 locations around the country. The statistics for 2005 are as follows:

Activities	Numbers	Comments
Re-education	536	Including 338 who have experienced some improvement with regard to their disability
Orthopaedic surgery	50
Appliances	88
Technical aids	303
Help with schooling	450
Vocational training	88
Income-generating activities	191
Total	1 706

(d)Support programmes for families

This heading covers assistance for vulnerable families.

Statistics on assistance granted in 2004 and 2005(no data available for 2003)

Category	Amount	Comments
2004	2005
The poor	25 641 000	33 524 600
Children in difficulty	2 205 000	2 700 000
Illnesses	4 225 000	6 264 500
Triplets	1 140 000	2 760 000
Prostheses/braces	2 034 710	6 537 038
Disasters	20 450 000	21 025 000
Tricycles	9 165 000	18 135 000
White canes	n/a	n/a
Forearm crutches	50 000	-
Emergencies	39 100 000	1 800 000
Wheelchairs	0	195 000
Medicines	20 000 000
Support for the disabled	10 230 000		Not all assistance delivered

(e)Support for children living below the poverty line

No data available.

(f)The protection of children who are in need of alternative care, including the support of care institutions

No data available.

Efforts are under way to collect the data and make them available to the Committee.

(g)Programmes and activities for the prevention of and protection from child abuse, child sexual exploitation and child labour

Partial data available.

Child labour

The main action in this area in 2004 was aimed at reducing the number of child workers in Benin. Around 1,000 child workers were withdrawn from paid jobs and the Ministry of Labour and Public Service was allocated 300 million CFA francs to combat child labour.

The allocations for 2005 and 2006 are given in the table below:

Financial period	Staff	Purchase of goods and services		Transfers	Capital expenditure
2005	5 000 000	4 000 000	-	73 000 000	-
2006	40 870 450	0	-	245 000 000	-	Increase over 2005

(h)Programmes and services for street children and abandoned children

As part of its work to protect children and young people, the Brigade for the Protection of Minors conducts inquiries into youngsters in physical or moral danger. It also specializes in tracking down children in difficulty or youngsters at risk.

Since 2004, the Beninese Government has given it the resources to fulfil these tasks.

It thus received a grant from the State budget of 20 million CFA francs in 2004 and 17.2 million CFA francs in the 2005 financial year. A grant for the same amount has been agreed for 2006.

(i)Juvenile justice

Data not yet available.

Efforts are being made to make them available to the Committee very shortly.

As far as the application of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in the field of education is concerned, the private sector’s contribution is not negligible.

A number of activities under the education and community project (EDUCOM) run in partnership with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education have been made possible thanks to financial support from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), including:

Training community teachers in the new teaching programmes (NPE);

Equipping schools with learning and teaching materials, and introducing the “girls for girls” mentoring system to help keep young girls in school;

Introducing the pupil’s progress book, which is also used for the purposes of correspondence between pupils’ parents and teachers;

Introducing self-managed canteens;

Creating women’s groups to help women increase their income.

Activities under the Education and Community (EDUCOM) Project

No.	Admin. district	Activity	Amount allocated	Date of payment	Report No.	Deadline receipts (3 months)	Comments	Balance
1	All	Training workshop under Media action plan No. 2, to boost girls’ attendance	4 040 260	24/10/05	1883	23/1/06	Receipts supplied 9/2/06	833 610
2	Pobè	Training of members of municipal education committees (CCE) in basic quality requirements for schools/child-friendly schools and adoption of the basic education package (PEE) (Pobè)	105 500	30/11/05	2294	28/2/06		105 000
3	Zakpota	Training of members of municipal education committees in basic quality requirements for schools/child-friendly schools and adoption of the basic education package (Zakpota)	88 000	30/11/05	2295	28/2/06	88 000
4	Adjohoun	Training of members of municipal education committees in basic quality requirements for schools/child-friendly schools and adoption of the basic education package (Adjohoun)	85 000	30/11/05	2296	28/2/06	85 000
5	Dangbo	Training of members of municipal education committees in basic quality requirements for schools/child-friendly schools and adoption of the basic education package (Dangbo)	81 000	30/11/05	2297	28/2/06	81 000
6	Adja-Ouèrè	Training of 273 teachers from EDUCOM and non-EDUCOM schools in the CVC (life-skills) approach to STI/AIDS prevention and in rights/gender equality in the classroom (Adja-Ouèrè)	3 242 000	30/11/05	2352	28/2/06	Receipts supplied 7/4/06	0
7	Adjohoun	Training of 269 teachers from EDUCOM and non-EDUCOM schools in the life-skills approach to STI/AIDS prevention and its use in rights/gender equality education in the classroom (Adjohoun)	3 034 200	30/11/05	2298	28/2/06	Receipts supplied 7/4/06	178 800
8	Dangbo	Training of 297 teachers from EDUCOM and non-EDUCOM schools in the life-skills approach and its application to education in HIV/AIDS prevention and gender/equality issues (Dangbo)	3 034 200	30/11/05	2299	28/2/06	Receipts supplied 7/4/06
9	Zakpota	Training of 269 teachers from EDUCOM and non-EDUCOM schools in the life-skills approach and its application to education in HIV/AIDS prevention and gender/equality issues (Zakpota)	3 434 000	30/11/05	2300	28/2/06	Receipts supplied 11/5/06	250

No.	Admin. district	Activity	Amount allocated	Date of payment	Report No.	Deadline receipts (3 months)	Comments	Balance
10	Djidja	Training of 177 teachers from EDUCOM and non-EDUCOM schools in the life-skills approach and its application to education in HIV/AIDS prevention (Djidja)	2 579 500	30/11/05	2301	28/2/06	Receipts supplied 21/5/06	0
11	Kalalé	Training of 204 teachers from EDUCOM and non-EDUCOM schools in the life-skills approach and its application to education in HIV/AIDS prevention (Kalalé)	2 184 750	30/11/05	2302	28/2/06	Receipts supplied 7/4/06	Balance of F203 920, of which 65 700 deducted for overrun
12	Klouékanmè	Training of 137 teachers in the life-skills approach (Klouékanmè)	2 453 000	30/11/05	2353	28/2/06
13	Sinendé	Training of 176 teachers from EDUCOM and non-EDUCOM schools in the life-skills approach and its application to education in HIV/AIDS prevention (Sinendé)	1 727 150	30/11/05	2354	28/2/06
14	Djougou	Training of 44 teachers from EDUCOM and non-EDUCOM schools in the life-skills approach and its application to education in HIV/AIDS prevention (Djougou)	1 871 800	30/11/05	2303	28/2/06	Receipts supplied 7/4/06	104 800
15	Zogbodomè	Training of teachers in laws protecting children from sexual abuse and corporal punishment (Zogbodomè)	496 000	30/11/05	2304	28/2/06	Receipts supplied 7/4/06	76 800
16	Adjohoun	Training of 12 teachers in life skills to train other teachers (Adjohoun )	496 000	30/11/05	2305	28/2/06		30 440
17	Dangbo	Training of 11 teachers in life skills to train other teachers (Dangbo)	92 000	30/11/05	2306	28/2/06
18	Sinendé	Training of 49 community teachers from Sinendé EDUCOM schools in the new study programmes (NPE)	71 000	30/11/05	2370	28/2/06	Receipts supplied 7/4/06
19	Kalalé	Training of 16 community teachers from Kalalé EDUCOM schools in the new study programmes	859 200	30/11/05	2325	28/2/06	Receipts supplied 7/4/06	-65 700
20	Adja-Ouèrè	Training of 19 community teachers from Adja-Ouèrè EDUCOM schools in the new study programmes	323 000	30/11/05	2371	28/2/06	Receipts supplied 4/5/06	-160 700
21	Pobè	Training of 14 community teachers from Pobè EDUCOM schools in the new study programmes	417 500	30/11/05	2367	28/2/06	Receipts supplied 4/5/06	5
22	Klouékanmè	Training of 57 community teachers from Klouékanmè EDUCOM schools in the new study programmes	300 350	30/11/05	2358	28/2/06
23	Kétou	Training of 12 teachers from Kétou in the implementation of the new study programmes	1 084 950	30/11/05	2326	28/2/06	Receipts supplied 7/4/06	65 475
24	Zakpota	Training of 12 community teachers from Zakpota EDUCOM schools in the content, approaches and strategies of the new study programmes	2 123 100	30/11/05	2359	28/2/06	Receipts supplied 11/5/06	1 600
25	Zogbodomè	Training of 15 community teachers from Zogbodomè EDUCOM schools in the new study programmes	261 800	30/11/05	2327	28/2/06	Receipts supplied 7/4/06	5 300
26	Djougou	Training of 44 community teachers from Djougou EDUCOM schools in teaching/learning/evaluation in the new study programmes	327 500	30/11/05	2360	28/2/06	Receipts supplied 7/4/06	158 800
27	Bembèrèkè	Training of 68 community teachers from Bembèrèkè in the new study programmes	780 800	30/11/05	2361	28/2/06	Receipts supplied 7/4/06	3 000
28	Djidja	Training of 56 community teachers from Djidja EDUCOM schools in the new study programmes	1 260 600	30/11/05	2357	28/2/06	Receipts supplied 21/4/06	0
29	Kalalé	Organization of regular and systematic deworming of children from the 10 EDUCOM schools in Kalalé	1 088 000	30/11/05	2307	28/2/06	Receipts supplied 11/5/06
30	Pobè	Organization of regular and systematic deworming of 1,072 children from the 10 EDUCOM schools in Pobè	230 000	30/11/05	2308	28/2/06
31	Adja-Ouèrè	Organization of regular and systematic deworming of 1,338 children from the 10 EDUCOM schools in Adja-Ouèrè	200 000	30/11/05	2309	28/2/06	Receipts supplied 11/5/06
32	Bembèrèkè	Systematic medical examinations in nurseries and the 31 EDUCOM schools in Bembèrèkè	230 000	30/11/05	2310	28/2/06	Receipts supplied 4/5/06
33	Pobè	Systematic medical examinations for 1,072 children from the 31 EDUCOM schools in Pobè	633 900	30/11/05	2311	28/2/06	Receipts supplied 11/5/06	33 800
34	Adja-Ouèrè	Systematic medical examinations for pupils in the 10 EDUCOM schools in Adja-Ouèrè	259 000	30/11/05	2312	28/2/06	Receipts supplied 11/5/06	-1 600
35	Zakpota	Systematic medical examinations in nurseries and the 10 EDUCOM schools in Zakpota	287 800	30/11/05	2313	28/2/06		800
36	Kétou	Systematic medical examinations and deworming in 10 nurseries and the 54 EDUCOM schools in Kétou	147 000	30/11/05	2314	28/2/06	Receipts supplied 11/5/06
37	Kalalè	Organization of systematic medical examinations for 1,447 pupils from the 10 EDUCOM schools in Kalalé	675 000	30/11/05	2335	28/2/06	Receipts supplied 7/4/06
38	Zogbodomè	Organization of systematic medical examinations in the 10 EDUCOM schools in Zogbodomè	161 000	30/11/05	2136	28/2/06	Partial receipts: Adja‑Ouèrè, Klouékanmè, Djidja, Sinendé, Adjohoun, Zogbodomè, Kalalè, Bembèrèkè, Djougou, Dangbo, Pobè, Zakpota
39	All	Subsistence Fund of the 13 Education districts (Jan.-Dec. 2005)	400 000	30/11/05	2340	28/2/06	Receipts supplied 9/2/06	0
40	All	Task force to help evaluate the PAT 2005 and prepare the PAT 2006 in the 13 Education Project districts	4 680 000	30/11/05	2341	28/2/06		326 530
41	All	Workshop to validate the draft statistical yearbook of the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education for the 2004/05 school year	1 440 000	30/11/05	2342	28/2/06	Receipts supplied 11/5/06	236 300
42	All	Annual sectoral review of the Education 2005 programme of cooperation between UNICEF and the Government of Benin	1 778 000	30/11/05	2348	28/2/06	Receipts supplied 11/5/06
43	All	Training of 336 managers (85 school district chiefs, 221 education advisers and staff from 5 departmental offices of primary and secondary education) and others in filling out and checking statistical survey forms	384 000	30/11/05	2368	28/2/06	Receipts supplied 11/5/06	27 800
44	All	National workshop to validate the National Policy on Girls’ Education	9 996 100	30/11/05	2377	28/2/06	Receipts supplied 11/5/06	‑1 285 650
3 395 000	2/12/05		1/3/06	Receipts supplied
			59 805 560

The International Foundation for Education and Self-Help (IFESH) is also active in the field of education, playing a significant role in the training of local education leaders (school district chiefs, education advisers, heads of teaching units and head teachers). It has re-energized local education networks and provides training for teachers in the new study programmes (NPE). Thanks to the foundation, there are now rigorous classroom inspections, training sessions for groups of teachers and workshops. Education staff work alongside school district chiefs to plan and organize training activities with predetermined objectives in school districts. They work on the programmes for the workshops with education advisers.

They draw up and agree on the programme of work with the advisers with a view to establishing new relationships with teachers that will facilitate communication and cooperation. The emphasis placed on these new relationships generally encourages teachers in their work.

IFESH has also given pupils the chance to enjoy a quality education from trained teachers. The main emphasis in the Equity and Quality in Primary Education (EQUIPE) project is on equity in education. Under this project, schools have been given teaching materials, equal access of all to education has been promoted, and teachers have been trained in the new study programmes. Also under the project, technical support has been provided to the focal point in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education for the fight against HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections. Thanks to the project, the ministry’s focal point now has documents on a strategic plan to combat HIV/AIDS, a policy on the fight against AIDS and the impact of AIDS in schools. The activities carried out under the EQUIPE project have also included training and sensitizing everyone connected with schools about the dangers of HIV/AIDS.

A3.With reference to children deprived of a family environment and separated from parents, please provide disaggregated data (by sex; age groups; urban, rural and remote areas) for the years 2003, 2004 and 2005 on the number of children:

(a)Separated from their parents

No reliable data available.

Efforts are being made to collect the data and make them available to the Committee very shortly.

(b)Placed in institutions

Provisional data.

To be completed and forwarded to the Committee as soon as possible.

The children in the National Centre for the Protection of Children and Adolescents are children who are in conflict with the law or at moral risk.

Children in the National Centre for the Protection of Children and Adolescents

Year	Number	Sex	Age (years)	Area
10-13	14-18	Urban	Rural
2003	13	M	7	6	11	2
2004	13	M	4	9	10	3
2005	15	M	1	14	11	4

Source: National Centre for the Protection of Children and Adolescents.

Other

Number of children at moral risk, orphans, vulnerable children and children at risk of neglect:

2003: 416

2004: 478 (300 girls and 178 boys)

2005: 436 (261 girls and 175 boys)

Source: Terre des hommes and the Centre de joie infantile of the Messagers de la paix association.

(c)Placed with foster families

2004: 10

2005: 17

Source: Terre des hommes, Centre Oasis.

(d)Adopted domestically or through intercountry adoptions

Provisional data (none available for 2003).

2004: 1 in Benin

2005: 3 in Benin and 1 abroad

Source: Terre des hommes, Centre Oasis.

A4.Please specify the number of children with disabilities, disaggregated by sex and age groups, covering the years 2003, 2004 and 2005:

(a)Living with their families

No data available.

A survey of children with disabilities is under way.

The school-age population has been increasing at an annual average rate of 3.26 per cent, rising from 1,255,962 in 2001 to 1,407,414 in 2005.

The gross enrolment rate has risen markedly thanks to improved access to the first year of primary school. In the same period, the number of girls enrolled rose to 574,103.

In 2005, 12 per cent of pupils were enrolled in private primary schools.

Gross enrolment rate, 2003-2005

	2003	2004	2005
Gross enrolment rate	92.1%	95.9%	93.7%
Gross enrolment rate for girls	80.5%	83.6%	83.0%

Source: Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education.

The gross enrolment rate is the number of children enrolled in primary education, regardless of their age, expressed as a percentage of the number of children of primary school age (6-11 years). The gross enrolment rate rose from 89 per cent in 2001 to 96 per cent in 2004, before falling slightly to 94 per cent in 2005. This fall reflects the slight decrease in numbers from one year to the next, from 1,319,648 pupils in 2004 to 1,318,140 in 2005.

This slight decrease can be explained by the wave of strikes that disrupted the 2004/05 school year, which really only got under way in January 2005, as the strikes discouraged some parents from sending their children to school.

The completion rate for primary education, or the rate of access to the final year of primary education, is the number of new final-year pupils divided by the number of 11-year-olds in the country. This indicator makes it possible to monitor progress towards universal schooling.

(b)In institutions

Children with disabilities in Benin are not placed in institutions, so that they do not feel marginalized. They live with their families, where they receive assistance and treatment.

(c)Attending regular schools

No data available.

(d)Attending special schools

No data available.

Efforts are being made to supply this information to the Committee before it considers Benin’s report.

(e)Not attending any school

No data available.

A5.With reference to child abuse, please provide disaggregated data (by sex, age groups, and types of violations reported) for the years 2003, 2004 and 2005 on the:

(a)Number of individual complaints received per year in the last three years

Data supplied by the Brigade for the Protection of Minors:

Steps are being taken to supply further details to the Committee.

2003:89

2004:238

2005:205

(b)Number and percentage of reports that have resulted in either a court decision or other types of follow-up

No data available.

Efforts are under way to collect them.

A6.Please provide disaggregated data (by sex; age groups; urban, rural and remote areas) for the years 2003, 2004 and 2005 on the:

(a)Enrolment and completion rates, in percentages of the relevant group, in pre-primary schools, in primary schools and in secondary schools

The data that are available do not address all the Committee’s concerns.

Efforts are being made to collect further information and to send it to the Committee before it considers Benin’s report.

The existing figures show that, by making Education for All and girls’ schooling priorities, the Government has raised primary-school numbers considerably in recent years.

(b)Number and percentage of dropouts and repetitions

No readily available data.

Efforts are under way to collect them.

However, the table below illustrates the trend in completion rates at the primary level.

	2003	2004	2005
Completion rate	48%	50%	54%
Completion rate for girls	36%	37%	42%

The completion rate should rise from 50 per cent in 2004 to 100 per cent in 2015 thanks to a policy designed to guarantee universal access to school and to ensure the conditions are in place to keep children in the system until the end of their final year of primary school.

As far as the quality of primary education is concerned, it should be noted that in order to cater for all children’s needs, three types of teacher are recruited for the State primary education sector: those who are permanent State employees, those working on a contractual basis, and community teachers.

(c)Number and percentage of children not attending school at all

No data available.

(d)Number of pupils per teacher

Number of teachers by category, 2003-2005

	2003	2004	2005
Total number of teachers	22 614	24 797	28 148
Teachers who are permanent State employees	11 500	11 500	10 351
Contractual teachers	4 368	5 433	6 897
Community teachers	6 746	5 814	10 900

The rise in the number of teachers is the result of the massive expansion in recruitment of contractual teachers in the public sector, the expansion of private education and the recruitment of community teachers.

The shortage of qualified teachers remains a serious problem. The proportion of qualified teachers fell considerably between 2003 and 2005. From 78.39 per cent in 2003, the figure fell to 49.79 per cent in 2005 owing to the increase in the number of unqualified community teachers.

Against this background, the pupil-teacher ratio is as follows:

Trend in the number of pupils per teacher in State schools, 2003-2005

	2003	2004	2005
Pupil-teacher ratio	55.7	53.2	50.0
Gap between the departments with the highest and lowest ratios	-	9.0	9.0

A7.Please provide disaggregated statistical data (by sex; age groups; urban, rural and remote areas) on infant and child mortality, malnutrition, early pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), mental health, suicide, drug use, and alcohol and tobacco abuse for the years 2003, 2004 and 2005.

No data are available on mental health, suicide, drug use or alcohol and tobacco abuse.

Efforts are being made to collect them.

One of the main challenges facing Benin is the need to reduce infant mortality from malnutrition and sexually transmitted infections.

The tables below illustrate the results obtained in this area in the last three years.

Disaggregated statistical data (by sex, age group and urban and rural area) on infant and child mortality.

Child mortality per 1,000 live births

	2003	2004	2005
Infant mortality (under 1 year)	68	66.8	65.6
Child mortality (under 5 years)	107.2	105.1	102.9

The statistical data in the above table are taken from demographic estimates by the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Analysis (INSAE) that are based on the results of the 2002 general population and housing survey. Mortality among children over the age of 5 is not included in the estimates.

The data from the 2002 general population and housing census are as follows:

Area	Infant mortality (under 1 year of age, per 1,000 live births)	Child mortality (per 1,000 live births)	Mortality among under-5s (per 1,000 live births)
Total	M	F	Total	M	F	Total	M	F
Benin	90	101	82	62	73	54	146.4	166.6	131.6
Urban	83	91	73	56	63	46	134.3	148.3	115.6
Rural	92	100	84	64	71	56	150.1	163.9	135.3

Source: INSAE/2002 general population and housing census.

Disaggregated statistical data (by sex, age group and urban and rural area) on malnutrition (incidence of malnutrition per 10,000 inhabitants)

Year	0-11 months	1-4 years	5-14 years	> 15 years	Total
M	F	T	M	F	T	M	F	T	M	F	T
2003	118	69	129	78	34	75	3	3	6	1	17	3	18
2004	125	127	126	59	57	58	5	4	5	1	1	1	14
2005	123	122	123	55	53	54	4	3	3	1	1	1	13

Source: Ministry of Public Health, Department of Planning and Forecasting (DPP), National Health Information and Health Management System (SNIGS).

The incidence of malnutrition fell from 18 per 10,000 inhabitants in 2003 to 13 per 10,000 inhabitants in 2005. The incidence of malnutrition is falling every year. The under-5s are still the most affected.

Incidence of malnutrition, by area of residence

Year	Incidence	0-11 months	1-4 years	5-14 years	> 15 years	Total
2004	Urban	241	97	8	2	21
Rural	77	39	3	1	10
Overall	125	58	5	1	14
2005	Urban	170	60	4	2	15
Rural	97	51	3	1	13
Overall	123	54	3	1	13

The incidence is higher in urban areas, where it was 21 per cent in 2004, as compared with 10 and 13 per cent in rural areas in 2004 and 2005 respectively. This is explained by the fact that severe cases of malnutrition are often treated in departmental hospitals, where they are recorded as urban regardless of where they actually originate.

Fatalities from malnutrition per 1,000 cases

Year	0-11 months	1-4 years	5-14 years	> 15 years	Total
M	F	T	M	F	T	M	F	T	M	F	T
2003	27	61	45	31	19	25	23	31	28	4	0	2.3	29
2004	14	33	23	22	10	16	7	7	7	0	0	0	17
2005	26	48	37	24	10	17	7	9	8	39	7	20	23

Source: SNIGS/DPP.

Malnutrition fatality rate, by area of residence

Year		0-11 months	1-4 years	5-14 years	> 15 years	Total
2004	Urban	32	23	11	0	23
Rural	11	8	0	0	8
Total	23	16	7	0	17
2005	Urban	49	27	14	31	34
Rural	25	11	2	5	14
Total	37	17	8	20	23

The malnutrition fatality rate reflects the pattern highlighted above of a higher incidence of malnutrition in urban areas than in rural ones.

Incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) per 10,000 inhabitants

Year	Urethral discharge	Vaginal discharge	Genital ulcers	Other	All
2003	5.8	16.4	2.9	19.3	44.4
2004	5.5	17.5	2.9	20.0	46.0
2005	9.3	35.9	3.1	18.3	44.4

The incidence of STIs varies sharply from one year to the next. They are therefore not yet under control despite the efforts made throughout Benin to combat them.

Vaginal discharge and the infections grouped together under the heading “Other” are the most widespread infections.

Incidence of STIs per 10,000 inhabitants, by area of residence

Year		0-11 months	1-4 years	5-14 years	> 15 years	Total
2004	Urban	7.1	4.6	7.5	100.0	60.7
Rural	3.6	1.6	4.1	68.7	36.1
Total	4.8	2.6	5.3	81.9	46.0
2005	Urban	4.1	3.3	6.4	88.1	53.2
Rural	4.2	1.7	4.5	74.3	39.1
Total	4.2	2.2	5.2	80.1	44.4

As with other infections, treatment in serious cases of STI is carried out in departmental hospitals, which explains the high incidence of STIs in urban areas.

A8.Please provide disaggregated statistical data (including by sex; age groups; urban, rural and remote areas) on children infected with or affected by HIV/AIDS.

To date, it has been difficult to diagnose HIV infection in children under the age of 18 months in Benin because the viral load is not measured.

Number of children infected with HIV/AIDS

The statistical data are disaggregated by age and sex: there are no data disaggregated by urban or rural area.

Distribution of cases notified between 2003 and 2005, by age and sex

Age group	Sex	2003	2004	2005
< 5 years	M	2	26	56
F	2	16	67
5-9 years	M	1	5	14
F	1	2	9
10-14 years	M	0	0	7
F	1	1	9
> 15 years	M	42	164	575
F	46	192	735
Not declared	M	2	4	34
F	3	10	34
Total	F	47	199	686
M	53	221	854

Regardless of the year or the child’s sex, the cases notified are predominantly recorded among the under-5 age group.

Number of children affected by HIV/AIDS

The children affected by HIV/AIDS are those who are infected (one or both of whose parents are HIV-positive). They are also classed as “orphans and vulnerable children”.

The table below shows the distribution of orphans and vulnerable children by three‑month period and department in 2005.

Number of orphans and vulnerable children recorded in 2005, by three-month period

Department	1st quarter 2005	2nd quarter 2005	3rd quarter 2005	4th quarter 2005
Atakora-Donga	176	308	895	895
Atlantique-Littoral	200	200	200	952
Borgou-Alibori	855	855	855	855
Mono-Kouffo	1 635	1 635	2 439	2 439
Ouémé-Plateau	1 475	2 116	3 094	3 094
Zou-Collines	523	523	1 151	2 494
Benin	4 816	5 637	8 634	10 684

Source:Report on a serosurveillance survey of HIV infection and syphilis in Benin (National AIDS control programme, 2005); report on data collection and monitoring activities, fourth quarter of 2005 (National AIDS control programme, 2005).

A9.Please provide appropriate disaggregated data (including by sex, age groups, and type of crime) for the years 2003, 2004 and 2005, in particular on the number of:

(a)Persons under the age of 18 who have allegedly committed a crime, reported to the police

Data supplied by the Brigade for the Protection of Minors:

2003:60

2004:55

2005:63

(b)Persons under the age of 18 who have been sentenced, and type of punishment or sanctions related to offences, including length of deprivation of liberty

Year	Number	Sentence
Deprivation of liberty	Other punishment
2003	12	-	6 months, suspended 12 months, suspended 10 months, suspended
2004	16	3 months; 4 months	6 months, suspended 12 months, suspended 9 months, suspended 10 months, suspended
2005	26	4 months; 6 months; 10 months; 12 months; 38 months; 20 months	3-6 months, suspended

Source: Civilian prisons in Benin.

A negligible proportion of minors are sentenced, but the numbers have clearly been rising since 2003. Judges are generally more lenient towards minors and mostly pass suspended sentences or none at all. Many minors are therefore released after being held in pretrial detention.

Sentences are mostly between 3 and 9 months long, whether or not they are suspended, but heavier sentences of up to 38 months’ imprisonment have been handed down to minors for serious offences.

(c)Detention facilities for persons under the age of 18 and these facilities’ capacity

There is only one detention centre for minors in Benin, the National Centre for the Protection of Children and Adolescents: it takes in minors in conflict with the law as well as minors at moral risk. It can hold 120 individuals.

Besides this centre, the following private centres are involved in rehabilitating children at moral risk:

The Bon Bosco centre in Porto-Novo, which can hold up to 80 individuals;

The KOMI-GUIA centre in Parakou, which can hold up to 50 individuals; and

The reception centre of the archdiocese of Cotonou, which can hold up to 80 individuals.

These private centres focus on vocational training for these children to help them become reintegrated into society, but, with State support, they also take in children in conflict with the law.

(d)Persons under the age of 18 detained in these facilities and the number of persons under the age of 18 detained in adult facilities

Year	Boys	Girls	Total	Type of offence
2003	132	9	141	Theft, assault, rape, receiving stolen goods, attempted murder
2004	115	10	130	Theft, rape, assault, manslaughter, murder
2005	171	10	181	Theft, rape, assault, cannabis use, murder

Source: Civilian prisons in Benin.

(f)Reported cases of abuse and maltreatment of persons under the age of 18 occurring during their arrest and detention

None.

It should be pointed out that significant progress has been made in this respect in Benin.

An impressive array of laws makes both complaints and prosecution easier.

The indictment chamber’s monitoring of police officers also helps reduce the abuse and ill-treatment of individuals under arrest or in detention.

Disciplinary or criminal sanctions have been handed down, and police officers have had their licences revoked.

The Constitutional Court has heard cases referred to it by ordinary citizens and has handed down rulings that have led to the criminal prosecution of police officers.

Most children in conflict with the law are held in facilities for adults. However, there are special sections for them, so that they do not live with adults and are thus protected from perversion. Only the prison in Parakou has no section for minors. This needs to be remedied.

The numbers fell significantly in 2004, before rising again in 2005. Cotonou civilian prison alone holds more than half all minors detained in facilities for adults.

(e)Persons under the age of 18 kept in pretrial detention, and the average length of their detention

Year	Boys	Girls	Total	Length of detention
2003	114	5	119	0-6 months 6-12 months 12-24 months
2004	105	6	111	0-6 months 6-12 months > 2 years (serious offences)
2005	169	3	172	0-6 months 6-12 months > 2 years (serious offences)

Source: Civilian prisons in Benin.

Most minors in prisons are being held in pretrial detention. Generally speaking, minors commit less serious offences and are held in detention for less than 12 months. In the case of more serious offences, however, their detention can exceed two years.

(f)Reported cases of abuse and maltreatment of persons under the age of 18 occurring during their arrest and detention

None.

A10.With reference to special protection measures, please provide statistical data (including by sex, age groups, urban/rural areas) for the years 2003, 2004 and 2005 on the:

(a)Number of street children and children involved in sexual exploitation, including prostitution, pornography and trafficking

No data available.

Child victims of trafficking:

2003: 406

2004: 460

2005: 198

(b)Number of children involved in sexual exploitation who received recovery treatments and social reintegration assistance

No data available.

(c)Number of children involved in child labour (formal and informal sectors) and vidomegon

Data are not yet available but efforts are under way to collect them.

(d)Number of unaccompanied asylum-seeking and refugee children

A total of 254 unaccompanied asylum-seeking children have been registered and housed in the camp in Comè (boys) and the reception centres in Comè and Cotonou (girls).

A further 111 children have been identified in the camp in Agamè.

(e)Number of children living in prisons with their parent(s)

Year	Boys	Girls	Total	Children under age 2	Children under age 5
2003	12	11	23	19	4
2004	7	11	18	14	4
2005	12	10	22	18	4

Source: Civilian prisons in Benin.

Very few children (about as many boys as girls) live in prison with a parent.

The majority of these children (over half the total number) are under the age of 2.

Hardly any children live with a parent in prison in the north of Benin. Most are to be found in central and southern Benin, with cities like Cotonou, Lokossa and Porto-Novo accounting for three quarters of the total for the whole country.

PART II

The Committee will find annexed hereto copies of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in simple French and in Fon and Yoruba.

B. General measures of implementation

B1. Please provide further information on those recommendations contained in the Committee’s previous observations (CRC/C/15/Add.106) that have not yet been fully implemented, including on data collection (para. 9), non-discrimination (para. 14), right to life (para. 16), abuse and neglect (para. 23), health (para. 24), education (para. 28), trafficking (para. 33), and the juvenile justice system (para. 34).

The data collection software installed for the Brigade for the Protection of Minors is currently experiencing a problem that is preventing it from functioning correctly. Technicians are preparing to repair it.

Benin is striving to make non-discrimination one of the most widely respected fundamental principles in all areas affecting children’s rights. In this connection:

The gap between girls and boys in school enrolment is gradually being reduced; steps are being taken to ensure that pupils in urban and rural areas enjoy the same quality of education;

Parents are being made aware that children with disabilities should not be hidden away “in the backyard” if they are not to be isolated and stigmatized;

Traditional practices and the killing of some children with deformities for religious or customary reasons are things of the past;

Cases of ill-treatment or neglect of children are reported to the Brigade for the Protection of Minors and/or police stations or the gendarmerie, who take the alleged defenders before a judge;

In the field of health, despite the State’s scarce resources, efforts have been made to combat malnutrition, sexually transmitted infections, infant mortality, etc., and there has been a noticeable improvement in health care, including wide coverage under the Expanded Programme on Immunization;

As regards trafficking in children, the programmes that have been established are gradually bearing fruit, and the number of child victims of trafficking has fallen markedly since 2003;

Education is a priority of the Beninese Government, which has, through the budget allocated each year to the ministries responsible for the various types of education, created quite acceptable conditions that give all children - girls and boys - access to quality education. The following measures may be mentioned here:

Incremental steps to refund school fees for pupils in public nurseries and primary schools;

State subsidies for parent-teacher associations;

Training and refresher courses for teachers;

The distribution of exercise books, textbooks and teaching materials in various schools;

The construction and renovation of classrooms and the provision of classroom furniture and materials.

With regard to the juvenile justice system, although it is of fundamental importance, it does not yet satisfy the requirements of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. However, judges - especially those sitting in youth courts - have been trained in and sensitized to the protection of children’s rights. The Convention on the Rights of the Child, and several other conventions ratified by Benin, are due to be published in the Journal Officiel in the very near future.

B2.Please provide information on cases, if any, in which the Convention has been directly invoked in the courts, and if so, please provide examples of such cases.

The reply to this question requires more extensive research, and will be sent to the Committee on the Rights of the Child shortly.

B3. Please provide updated information on the CNDE (Comité national des droits de l’enfant) and on the local committees to fight trafficking of children (Comités locaux de lutte contre la traite des enfants), including on their mandates, activities and resources.

The National Commission on the Rights of the Child (CNDE) is the focal point for the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in Benin. Its work includes:

The establishment of a database on the situation of children’s rights;

The provision of training for various social groups in legislation relating to the rights of the child and trafficking in children;

Visits to hostels for children in difficult situations and the juvenile sections of civilian prisons in Benin;

The establishment in 2002 in every department of a departmental committee on the rights of the child;

The establishment in the very near future of municipal committees; the orders creating them have already been signed.

A total of 1,046 local committees have been created and established to combat trafficking in children in 24 municipalities of the departments of Atlantique-Littoral, Atakora-Donga, Mono-Kouffo, Quémé-Plateau and Zou-Collines. Action plans drawn up by these committees cover prevention, the detection of the victims and perpetrators of trafficking, and measures to direct them to the appropriate organizations for help.

The following funding has been allocated to the National Commission on the Rights of the Child:

2003: 45 m francs

2004: 50 m francs

2005: 50 m francs

B4.Please provide further information about the activities, mandate, budget and total number of the Brigades for the Protection of Minors.

There is currently only one Brigade for the Protection of Minors. According to article 20 of order No. 045/MISPAT/DGPN of 28 February 1991, its tasks are to:

Protect children and young people by helping them to become well-adjusted individuals;

Investigate crimes and offences committed by and against minors under the age of 18.

It received a grant of 17.2 million francs in 2005.

B5. Please provide information on the existence and content of a national plan of action for children.

Every State body involved in the promotion and protection of children’s rights has its own plan of action. Their activities consist of setting up databanks, funding and equipping the departmental committees on the rights of the child and establishing committees on children’s rights to get closer to the people at grassroots level.

B6.Please provide information on the drafting process of the second Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper, in particular on its human rights and child rights components, and the differences between the first and the second PRSPs. Please also indicate how its implementation will be coordinated.

This question will be answered at a later date.

B7. Please provide further information on the existing practice, structures and/or agreements regarding cooperation between the Government and non-governmental organizations involved with the promotion and protection of children’s rights.

The Office for the Judicial Protection of Children and Young People, which was established by decree No. 2004-131 of 17 March 2004, works closely with national and international non-governmental child-protection organizations.

The Government set up the National Advisory Council on Human Rights by decree No. 97-503 of 16 October 1997. The Government has a partnership agreement with human rights non-governmental organizations, which are given technical assistance.

In the fields of education and health, a number of projects and programmes are supported by partners such as UNICEF, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Care International, Defence for Children International and Plan International Benin.

In addition, the Ministry of the Family has a unit to monitor and coordinate child‑protection activities. The unit brings together representatives of ministries dealing with children’s issues, non-governmental organizations and various partners.

B8. Please indicate the issues affecting children that the State party considers to be priorities, requiring the most urgent attention with regard to the implementation of the Convention.

The issues requiring the most urgent attention are:

Birth registration;

Child labour (economic exploitation of children);

Children’s education (schooling);

Trafficking in children;

Mother-and-child health; and

Reducing child poverty.

PART C

Within the framework of the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and with a view to improving protection for the population in general and children in particular, Benin has adopted the following new legislation:

Act No. 2002-07 of 24 August 2004 containing the Personal and Family Code;

Act No. 2003-04 of 3 March 2003 on reproductive and sexual health;

Act No. 2003 … on female genital mutilation;

Inter-ministerial order No. 16/MEPS/METFP/CAB/DC/SGM/SA of 1 October 2003 on sanctions for perpetrators of sexual abuse in public or private, general, technical or vocational secondary schools or educational establishments;

Act No. 2006/04 of 5 April 2006 setting out conditions for the displacement of minors and the suppression of trafficking in children in Benin;

Act No. 2006/31 of 5 April 2006 on AIDS.

The draft Children’s Code has already been prepared and will be validated in the next few days. The draft family charter is still under preparation.

The following new institutions can be mentioned:

The children’s parliament;

The national unit to monitor and coordinate child-protection activities;

The National Commission on the Rights of the Child;

The departmental committees on the rights of the children (about to be set up);

AIDS focal points in every ministry and public office.

Newly implemented policies include:

National policy and strategy documents on child protection (under preparation).

Lastly, as regards newly implemented programmes and projects and their scope, the following can be mentioned:

The inclusion in the 2005-2006 and 2006-2008 programme budgets of the Ministry of Labour and Public Service of funding to combat child labour;

Plans within the Ministry of Public Security and Local Authorities to give ordinary and senior police officers training in children’s rights and to conduct nationwide activities in the areas of prevention, protection and the punishment of offences against children;

Benin/UNICEF cooperation programmes have been signed with the institutions dealing with children’s issues (Ministry of the Family, Brigade for the Protection of Minors, Ministry of Labour, etc.);

Multilateral and bilateral cooperation agreements to combat trafficking in children were signed by Benin with other countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) in Abuja in July 2006;

A procedure for taking care of victims of child trafficking was published in 2005; and

A cooperation agreement between Benin and Nigeria on the prevention, punishment and suppression of people-trafficking, including trafficking in women and children, was signed in Cotonou on 29 June 2005.

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