Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
Fifty-sixth session
30 September – 18 October 2013
Item 4 of the provisional agenda
Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under
article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms
of Discrimination against Women
List of issues in relation to the fourth periodic report of Benin
Note by the Committee
Thepre-sessionworkinggroupconsideredthefourthperiodicreportofBenin(CEDAW/C/BEN/4).
General
Pleaseprovideinformationontheprocessofpreparationandadoptionofthereportandindicateifanyconsultationswereundertakenwithnon-governmentalorganizationsandotherstakeholdersinthisrespect,includingwomen’srightsorganizations.Pleaseelaborateonanyadvancementinthedevelopmentofaspecificsystemforthecollectionandanalysisofsex-disaggregateddatapertainingtoallareasoftheConvention,includingthenationalcensus.
Constitutional,legislativeandinstitutionalframework
PleaseinformtheCommitteeonthestatusofthedraftlawongenderequalityandonthetimeframeforitsadoption.GiventheStateparty’smonistlegalsystem,pleaseindicateifthecurrentdraftreflectsthedefinitionofdiscriminationagainstwomenasenshrinedinarticles1and2oftheConvention.PleasealsoprovideinformationonthestatusofthedraftCriminalCode(CEDAW/C/BEN/4,para.44)andontheamendmentofthelawregardingtheestablishmentofthenewnationalhumanrightsinstitution.Further,inlightoftherevivalofjudicialinstitutions,suchastheConstitutionalcourtin2008andtheHighCourtofJusticein2009(para.11),pleaseindicateifmeasureshavebeentakentoenhanceknowledgeabouttherightsofwomenundertheConvention,itsOptionalProtocolandrelateddomesticlegislationandiftheyformanintegralpartofthelegaleducationandthetrainingofjudges,lawyers,prosecutorsandallotherrelevantlawenforcementofficers.
Nationalmachineryfortheadvancementofwomen
PleaseprovidedetailedinformationabouttheCouncilforGenderEquality(para.47),includingtheroleofitstechnicalcommitteeanditsfamily,womenandchildrenmonitoringcentreinthedesignandimplementationofpolicies,inmonitoringthesituationofwomencomprehensively,aswellascarryingoutstrategiesandmeasurestoeliminatediscrimination.Pleasealsoprovidedetailedinformationonthehumanandfinancialresourcesallocatedtoittoeffectivelydischargeitsmandate.PleaseclarifythecoordinationbetweenexistingbodiesandtheMinistryfortheFamilyandNationalSolidarity,whichaccordingtothereport(para.41),isresponsibleforthepromotionofwomenandgenderequality,andexplaintheroleandmandateoftheInstituteforWomenestablishedbythePresidentinMarch2009(para.47).
Please provide information on the National Policy on Gender Equality adopted on 18 March 2009 and indicate which programmes and projects, referred to in paragraph 46, were implemented as part of the 2010 action plan.
Stereotypesandharmfulpractices
Thereportacknowledgesthatwomenarenarrowlycastintheroleofdaughters,wivesandmothersbyculture,educationandreligion(paras.4,21and22)andthatcustomary,traditionalandreligiouspracticescontinuetodominatesociallifeandperpetuatediscriminatorypracticesagainstwomen(para21)andgirls.AsrecommendedbytheCommitteeinitspreviousconcludingobservations(CEDAW/C/BEN/CO/1-3,para.148),pleaseprovideinformationonconcretemeasurestakenbytheStateparty,includingthroughcollaborationwithtraditionalandcommunityleadersandwomen’sorganisations,tochangethepublicattitudeandsocialandculturalpatternsthatleadtogenderstereotypinginrelationtotherolesofwomenandmeninthefamily,thecommunityandthesocietyatlarge.
ThereportsetsoutanextensivelistofharmfulpracticeswhichcontinuetobeprevalentintheStateparty.Pleaseindicatewhichmeasureshavebeentaken,includingcomprehensiveeducationalmeasuresandawareness-raisingcampaignsaboutrelevantprovisionsinthePersonalandFamilyCodeandcriminalprovisions,targetingruralareasinparticular,topreventandaddressharmfulpracticessuchasearlyandforcedmarriages,polygamy,widowhoodpractices,levirateandsororate,purificationritesforadulterouswomenandkillingsofso-calledchildrenwitches.Further,despitetheexistenceofActNo.2003-03onthesuppressionoffemalegenitalmutilation,thispracticeremainswidespreadintheStateparty,asmentionedinthereport(para.35).Pleaseprovideinformationontheenforcementofthelegislationprohibitingfemalegenitalmutilation,aswellasoninvestigations,prosecutionsandconvictionsofperpetratorsofthispractice,includingpenaltiesissuedduringtheperiodunderreview.
Violenceagainstwomen
InformationbeforetheCommitteereferstotherecentadoptionofalawonpreventionandpunishmentofviolenceagainstwomen.PleaseinformtheCommitteeontheformsofviolencecoveredbythelaw,inparticularifitprohibitsdomesticviolenceandmaritalrapeasseparatecriminaloffencesandiftheycanbeprosecutedexofficio,aswellasifitsprovisionsareinlinewiththeConventionandtheCommittee’sgeneralrecommendationNo.19(1992)onviolenceagainstwomen.Pleasedescribestepstakentodevelopacomprehensivestrategytocombatallformsofviolenceagainstwomentosupporttheimplementationofthenewlegislationandtodevelopcapacity-buildingandawareness-raisingprogrammesonitscontentforallrelevantprofessionalgroups,suchasthepolice,lawyers,thejudiciary,healthandsocialworkers,,aswellasthepublicatlarge.Pleasealsoelaborateontheprevalenceofinformaldisputeresolutionmechanismsincasesofviolenceagainstwomenandonmeasurestakentoimprovewomen’saccesstojusticeandtoencouragethemtoreportactsofviolence,especiallyvulnerablegroupsofwomen,suchasilliteratewomen,ruralwomen,refugeewomen,aswellasthoselivinginpolygamousmarriages.
Pleaseprovideupdatedanddetailedinformationonthecurrentsituationandtrendswithrespecttoviolenceagainstwomenandgirls,suchascorporalpunishment,domesticviolence,rape,incest,maritalrape,andotherformsofsexualabuse.Pleaseprovideinformationonthenumberofprosecutions,convictionsandsentencesimposedinallcasesofviolenceagainstwomen.Pleaseindicatewhetherstepshavebeentakentoensurethatwomenandgirlvictimsofviolence,includingsexualanddomesticviolence,areadequatelyprotectedandreceivesupportandassistance,suchasaccesstosheltersandrehabilitationservices.
Traffickingandexploitationofprostitution
ThereportindicatesthattheStatepartyhasenactedanti-traffickinglegislationregardingchildren,butthatithascurrentlynosuchlegislationregardingwomen(para.56),whereaswomenandgirlsareincreasinglytraffickedfromandwithintheStatepartyforthepurposeofdomesticworkasvidomegons,aswellasintheagricultureandtradesector.AsrecommendedbytheCommitteeinitspreviousconcludingobservations(CEDAW/C/BEN/CO/1-3,para.152)andasacceptedbytheStatepartyduringitsexaminationundertheuniversalperiodicreview(A/HRC/22/9),pleaseindicateatimeframefortheadoptionofacomprehensivelawontraffickingwhichfullycomplieswitharticle6oftheConvention,andwhethertheStatepartyhasestablishedmechanismsfortheinvestigation,prosecutionandpunishmentoftraffickingoffendersundertheexistinglegislativeframeworkandfortheassistanceandsupportofvictims.
ThereportissilentonthephenomenonofexploitationofprostitutionofwomenandgirlsintheStateparty.Pleaseprovideinformationonitsprevalence,aswellasmeasuresinplacetocombatit,includingdataoninvestigations,prosecutionsandconvictionsofthosewhoexploitprostitution.InlightofthependingdraftCriminalCode(para.44),pleasealsoindicateifandhowtheStatepartyintendstoreviewitslegislationtoensurethatitsprovisionsonprostitutiondonotdiscriminateagainstwomenandifitconsiderssanctioningthemaledemandside.Further,pleasealsoindicateifmeasuresareinplacetoaddresstherootcausesthatleadwomenintoprostitution,todiscouragemaledemandforprostitution,aswellastoassistwomenwhowishtoleaveprostitutionandtofacilitatetheirreintegrationintosociety.
Participationinpublicandpoliticallife
Pleaseprovideupdateddataonthenumberofwomencivilservice,thejudiciaryandindiplomaticservice,includingatdecision-makinglevel.Inlightofthelegislativeelectionsheldin2011,whereonlysevenwomenwereelected,pleaseexplainwhytheStatepartyhasnotadoptedanytemporaryspecialmeasurestoincreasetheparticipationofwomeninpoliticaldecision-makingpositions,asrecommendedbytheCommitteeinitspreviousconcludingobservations(CEDAW/C/BEN/CO/1-3,para.154).Further,inlightoftheupcomingmunicipalandlocalelectionsthisyear,pleaseprovideinformationonconcretemeasuresplannedtoincreasewomen’sfullandequalparticipationandrepresentation.PleaseindicatewhatmeasureshavebeentakenbytheStatepartytoencouragepoliticalpartiestoincreasethepercentageoffemalecandidatesandtoconductawareness-raisingandcapacity-buildingactivitiestoencouragetheinvolvementofwomeninelections.
Nationality
PleaseindicateiftheStateparty’slegislationisinlinewiththeprovisionsoftheConventionregardingequalityofwomenwithmenintheacquisition,changeandretentionofnationality,particularlywithrespecttoprovisionsonwomenpassingtheirnationalitytotheirspousesofforeignnationality.
Education
Pleaseprovide(a)updatedanddetailedsex-disaggregateddataontheenrolmentratesatalllevelsoftheeducationsystem,(b)informationonexpulsionsofgirlsduetopregnancy,and(c)dropoutratesattheprimaryandsecondarylevels,andpleaseclarifywhetherfreeeducationextendstogirlsbelow11andabove13(paras51and81-85).Pleaseprovideinformationonactionstakentoovercomestereotypicalattitudesthatdiscriminateagainstgirlswithregardtoaccesstoeducationandincludeinformationoneffortsdevelopedtoraiseawarenessontheimportanceofgirls’education,withaviewtoensuretheirequalaccesstoeducationandimprovetheirliteracyrates,especiallyinruralareas.PleaseinformtheCommitteeontheprogressofthereviewofschooltextbooksundertakenbytheStatepartytoeliminategender-basedstereotypes(para.54).Pleasedescribestepstakentoaddresstheexclusionofpregnantteenagegirlsfromschoolandthehighdropoutrateofgirls,owingtopregnancy,earlyandforcedmarriage,corporalpunishments,aswellassexualviolenceatschool,includingbyteachers.
Employment
Pleaseprovideinformationonemploymentandunemployment’srateofwomen,aswellasonthewagegapbetweenwomenandmenintheprivateandpublicsectors,andindicatewhichmeansandmethodsareusedbytheStatepartytoenforceitsexistinglegislation(article208oftheLabourCode)establishingtheprincipleofequalpayforworkofequalvalue(para.94).PleasealsoinformtheCommitteeofmeasurestakenbytheStatepartytomonitortheworkingconditionsofgirlsemployedasvidomegons,regularlysubjectedtoverbal,physicalandsexualviolence.Pleaseindicateifmeasureshavebeentakentoprotectwomenworkingintheinformalsector,particularlytoprovidethemwithsocialbenefits,includingmaternityleaveprovisions,andtopromotetheirintegrationintotheformallabourforce.
Health
Thereportstatesthathighmaternalmortalityrateistheresultofearlyandlatepregnancies,multiplepregnanciesandpregnanciestoocloselyspaced,aswellasclandestineabortionsfollowingunwantedpregnancies(para.104).Pleasedescribethemeasurestaken(a)toraisewomenandgirls’awarenessofsexualandreproductivehealthandrightsissues,includingintheschoolcurriculaandthroughtheuseofmassmedia;(b)toenhancetheuse,availabilityandaffordabilityofcontraceptivesandfamilyplanninginformation,particularlyinruralareas;(c)toincreasethenumberoftrainedhealth-carepersonnelintheStateparty.Haveanymeasuresbeentakentoeducatewomenandtheirspousesontherightsofwomentoindependentdecision-makingontheirhealthandwell-being?Further,referringtoparagraph112ofthereportontheprevalenceofHIV/AIDS,pleaseindicateiftheStatepartyhastakenstepstoaddresstheapparentfeminizationofHIV/AIDSandreducewomen’svulnerabilitytothisdisease.
DoestheStatepartyenvisagedecriminalizingabortiononothergroundssuchaspregnanciesduetorapeandincest?PleasereportonmeasuresinplacetoaddresstheissueofunsafeabortionsintheStatepartyandprovidedataonthenumberofdeathsandhealth-relatedcomplicationsduetounsafeabortions.
Ruralwomen
Accordingtothereport(para.121),ruralwomenconstitute50to60percentoftheagriculturallabourforce.PleaseelaborateonthemeasuresundertakenorenvisagedbytheStatepartytoimprovethesituationofruralwomen,includingtheiraccesstojustice,standardofliving,education,healthandtheirparticipationindecision-makingprocess.Giventhatthereportstatesthatwomencontinuetofacedifficultiesinaccessinglandandcredit(para.122)andthatthepracticeofexcludingwomenfrominheritingpersists(para.123),pleaseinformtheCommitteeonmeasurestakentoensurethestrictenforcementofitslegislativeframeworkenablingwomentoinheritlandfromtheireldersandspousesandonwhetherinterventionmechanismssupportingwomen’saccesstolandtenure,asstatedinparagraph124,havebeenintroduced.Pleasealsoindicateifpovertyalleviationstrategiesreferredtoinparagraphs13and14ofthereporthaveincludedprogrammestoimprovethesituationofruralwomenandgirls,includingtheirlandandcreditaccess.
Womenindetention
Pleaseprovideupdatedinformationonthesituationandconditionsofwomenindetentionfacilities.Inparticular,pleaseindicatewhetherfemaledetaineesareheldseparatelyfrommendetainees,whetherfemaleguardsareinchargeoftheirsupervision,andwhethergender-sensitivemeasuresareinplacetoensureappropriatetreatmentofadolescentdetainees,pregnantwomenaswellaswomendetainedwiththeirchildren,includingtheprovisionofsufficientfoodandadequatehealthfacilities.PleasealsoinformtheCommitteeonmeasuresaimedatfacilitatingwomen’saccesstojusticeandensuringcompliancewiththeirfairtrialguarantees.
Marriageandfamilyrelations
FollowingtheadoptionofthePersonalandFamilyCode,marriageandfamilyrelationsarenolongergovernedbycoexistingcustomarylaws,thelegalageofmarriageis18,levirateandbridepriceareabolished,andonlymonogamousmarriagesarelegallyrecognized(paras20and135).However,thereportconfirmsthatpracticessuchaspolygamy,earlyandforcedmarriage,levirateandsororatearestillprevalentintheStateparty.Pleaseindicatewhichmeasureshavebeentakentostrictlyenforceitsexistinglegislativeframeworktocombatthesepractices.PleasealsoclarifythestatusofpolygamousmarriagesconcludedpriortotheentryintoforceoftheCodeandindicateiftheyenjoythesamerightsandbenefitsprovidedforinthePersonalandFamilyCode,asrecommendedinthepreviousconcludingobservations(CEDAW/C/BEN/CO/1-3,para.148).InformationbeforetheCommitteeindicatesthatchildrenbornoutofwedlockcanonlyenjoythesamerightsaschildrenborninwedlockiftheyarerecognizedbytheirfather.Pleaseexplainthelegalsituationofsinglewomenwithchildrenbornoutofwedlockanddescribemeasurestakentoensurethattheirrightsareprotected.PleaseindicateifpracticalstepshavebeentakentoimprovebirthregistrationintheStateparty,especiallyinruralareas.
Amendmenttoarticle20,paragraph1
PleasealsoindicatewhentheStatepartyintendstoaccepttheamendmenttoarticle20,paragraph1,oftheConventionpertainingtotheCommittee’smeetingtime.