Gender Equality in Benin

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Benin
flag_Benin.png
Flag of Benin
Population (in Mil.) 9.10
Gross Domestic Product (In USD Billions - WB) 7.29
Sex Ratio (m/f) 1
Life Expectancy Ratio (f/m) 1.038
Fertility Rate 5.31
Income Ratio (f/m) 0.52
Literacy Ratio (f/m) 0.53
Tertiary Enrolment Ratio (f/m) 0.25
Women in Parliament (in %) 7.2
INDICES
Human Development Index 167/169
Social Institutions and Gender Index 81/86
Gender Inequality Index 127/138
Gender Equity Index 154/157
Women’s Economic Opportunity Index 89/113
Global Gender Gap Index 128/134
More information on variables

Contents

In the News

Overview

After six decades under French rule, Benin became an independent country in 1960. While women have generally been treated equally by the law, ongoing political instability and economic concerns have left gender issues off the country’s list of priorities. The Human Development Index ranked Benin 163rd out of 182 countries in 2009 and in 2007, 33% of the population was living under the poverty line.[1]

Legislation

The Benin constitution stipulates the respect for gender equality, but the reality shows that women have inferior access to education and employment. Despite prevalent discrimination, Benin ratified the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women in 1992. In 2004, a Code of Persons and Family was enacted which improved women’s rights to inheritance, marriage, and property ownership and outlawed forced marriage and female genital mutilation. While this was a positive step for women’s rights, women in rural areas are often not aware of their legal rights and infractions of the code are not well enforced by the justice system.[2] Because of the lack of awareness, traditional law is often practiced in rural areas instead of the Code of Persons and Family.

Local and international organizations such as The Women’s Legal Rights Initiative have worked to improve the legal protection of women in Benin. The WLR helped sponsor legislation to protect women from sexual harassment in the workplace and at school and they also worked to educate citizens and legal professionals on the new family code. While efforts by such civil society organizations have been crucial for the country’s development, enforcement of passed legislation remains an issue.[3]

Employment

United Nations statistics show that in 2008, 58.5% of women in Benin participated in the labor force[4] and a UNDP report claims that in 2002, women made up only 24.3% of the non-agricultural wage employment sector.[1] Gender inequality is prevalent in the agricultural sector where the International Fund for Agricultural Development reports that women in Benin work in the fields an average of 17.4 hours per week more than their male counterparts.[5] Recent microcredit initiatives aimed at helping women in Benin run their own small businesses have been met with some success, but the impact has remained limited.

Education

Education and literacy rates in Benin are generally low, but the female population lags even further behind the males. UNESCO claims that the average national literacy rate for adults in 2009 was 41.7% and of that average, 54.2% were men and only 29.1% were women.[6] For the youth of Benin, the average national literacy rate falls a little higher at 54.3% with 64.9% being men and 43.4% being women. While the enrollment levels for girls and boys in primary education are quite comparable (86% of girls and 97% of boys), the enrollment levels for girls drops significantly for secondary and tertiary education.[6]

Political Empowerment

While women legally earned the right to vote and run for political office in 1956, women still have very low political participation levels in Benin and the UN Statistics show that in 2009, only 10.8% of the national parliament seats were held by women.[4]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 UNDP and UNCDF Report: Benin: Women Empowerment Through Energy and Capacity Building
  2. ↑ Freedom House Report: 2011 Benin
  3. ↑ The Women’s Legal Rights Initiative Final Report
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 UN Statistics: Benin
  5. ↑ International Fund for Agricultural Development: 2010 Gender and rural employment policy brief
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 UNESCO Country Profile: Education in Benin

Social Institutions

Benin was a French colony between 1892 and 1960;[1] French remains the official state language, although 17 other languages are also in common usage.[2] The three principal religions are Christianity (35 % of the population), animism (35 %), and Islam (just over 20 %); there are 42 different ethnic groups in the country.[3] Politically, the country is stable and has been considered to be a functioning democracy since the early 1990s.[4] Benin’s economy is under developed, and dependent on subsistence agriculture.[5]

Progress towards gender equality in Benin remains slow despite some promising developments, such as the introduction of a new family code, which outlaws many discriminatory practices, and a significant fall in the number of parents choosing to submit their daughters to female genital mutilation. But knowledge and enforcement of the new Code of Persons and Family is low, and customary law under which women are treated as legal minors continues to hold sway, justifying the continued existence of customs that harm women (even though they are now illegal).[6] Overall, persistent gaps mean that legislation fails to ensure non-discrimination against women.[7]

The 1990 Constitution of Benin prohibits discrimination based on race, sex and religion, and grants men and women equal economic and social rights as citizens. Article 26 establishes the general principle of equality between men and women, and Article 6 proclaims the equality of Beninese citizens of both sexes.[8] In 1992, Benin ratified the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.[9]In 2011 the Parliament has passed the Law No. 2011-26 on Prevention and Punishment of Violence against Women.[10] The country has also ratified the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (in 2005).[11] A National Policy for Gender Promotion was adopted in 2009, which aims to reduced gender-based disparities by the end of 2025; previous national policies concerned with promoting gender equality and women’s rights have been hampered by lack of funding and poor implementation.[12]

Benin is classed by the World Bank as a low-income country.[13]In 2011, the country’s Human Development Index was 0.427, placing it at 167th out of 187 ranked countries.[14] The country’s Gender Inequality Index score is 0.634, placing it at 133 out of 146 countries.[15] Benin is rated 128th out of 135 countries in the Global Gender Gap Index 2011, with a score of 0.5832.[16]

Discriminatory Family Code

Family law in Benin is governed by the Code of Persons and Family, promulgated in 2004.[17] However, in practice, while customary law is no longer recognised by the courts, women continue to be subject to the ‘Coutumier du Dahomey’ – a collection of customs and rules codified in 1931 (when the country was still a French colony), which treats them as legal minors and accords them limited rights in marriage and inheritance.[18]

Women’s rights within marriage vary considerably, according to whether the marriage is registered, or performed under customary law.[19]Under customary law, marriage is contracted on the basis of payment of bride money to the family of the bride.[20]

The 2004 Code sets the legal age for marriage at 18 years for both men and women. However, Demographic and Health Survey data held by the UN indicate that in 2006, 22.2 % of girls aged 15 to 19 were married, divorced or widowed.[21] In some cases women and girls are forced, abducted or bartered into marriage.[22] Polygamy was outlawed in 2004.[23]The practice continues, however: in the 2006 DHS, 42.3% of women aged 15-49 reported that they were in a polygamous relationship.[24]The status of marriages concluded prior to adoption of the Code of Persons and Family is unclear.

The Code of Persons and the Family established equal parental authority. However, again the continuing influence of customary law decreases the level of protection of women in the family, as under customary law, a woman cannot declare her children as dependents because she is considered to be a dependent of her husband.[25] Women have the legal right to divorce their husbands, but often fare very badly in divorce proceedings as property is invariably allocated to the husband.[26]22.5% of households are considered to be headed by women.[27]

The Code of Persons and Family grants children, regardless of gender, equal rights to inheritance. But in reality, in communities where women remain subject to customary law, it is extremely difficult for women to inherit, and hence own land.[28]In 2006, only 21.9 % of widows inherited the majority of assets after their spouses which could be explained by restrictive legal framework.[29]

In fact, under paragraph 128 of the Coutumier de Dahomey, women are considered to be the property of their husbands, meaning that when they are widowed, they are inherited by and forcibly married to their husband’s brother or another close male relative, in a practice known as lévirat.[30]

This is often the only way that a woman can retain custody of her children; otherwise, in the absence of a male child old enough to inherit the property, the relatives of a deceased man will typically claim inheritance rights, and may also force the widowed woman to leave her husband’s home, and hand over the care of her children to her husband’s family.[31]

Restricted Physical Integrity

Legislation to protect the physical integrity of women in Benin is weak. Reporting to the CEDAW committee in 2002, a representative of the government of Benin stated that domestic violence remains a taboo issue, and one which is dealt with within the family or the community, and very few women go to the police or authorities for help; as a result, no statistics are available as to prevalence rates.[32] The Penal Code prohibits domestic violence and imposes jail terms of 6 to 36 months, but it is not prohibited under the Family Code.[33] NGO observers believe that women remain reluctant to report cases and police and judges rarely intervene in domestic disputes.[34]

The law prohibits rape (imposing sentences of one to five years in jail) but enforcement is weak and few cases are reported due to the stigma attached.[35] The penal code makes no distinction between spousal rape and other forms of rape.[36] The limited support services that are available to women who have experienced domestic violence and other forms of gender-based violence are provided by women’s groups with support from foreign donors, rather than the state.[37] No legislation exists to protect women and girls from sexual harassment, and the topic remains taboo.[38]

Young girls in Benin face a particular threat to physical integrity due to the practice of ‘vidomegon’, whereby young children (mainly girls) are placed in the homes of wealthier families in exchange for food and lodging.[39] There is considerable abuse in this practice, including economic exploitation, ill-treatment and sexual abuse.[40] The practice is also in violation of labour laws in force in Benin.[41]

Benin has ratified the UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, but trafficking remains a serious issue.[42] The trafficking of children to neighbouring countries where they face exploitation and abuse is of particular concern.[43]

Benin outlawed female genital mutilation (FGM) in 2003, and an official ceremony was held in 2005 to declare an end to the practice.[44] DHS data from 2006 indicates that 12.9% of women aged 15 – 49 had been subjected to FGM.[45] Of those women, only 15.9% had at least one daughter who had been subjected to FGM, or intended to subject their daughter to the procedure.[46] This would indicate a marked decrease in prevalence, as UNICEF states in a 2005 report.[47] Of women aged 15-49 questioned during the DHS survey in 2006, only 1.4% stated that they believed that FGM was a practice that should continue.[48] The practice has been more prevalent in rural areas (20 % of women) than in urban areas (13 %),[49] and in some areas of the country and among certain ethnic groups than others; 38 % of women belonging to the Peulh ethnic group who had been subject to FGM reported that their daughters had also undergone the procedure, while among the Adja, very few girls are cut.[50]

Access to reproductive (and other) health services is provided by local social protection centres; these centres also encourage people to abandon FGM.[51] According to DHS data, 17 % of married women reported using some form of contraception.[52] In 2002, the CEDAW committee reported that in general, a partner’s permission was needed in order for a woman to access family-planning services.[53] In some families, husbands control their wives access to health services more generally, with 44.6 % of women reporting that their husbands made decisions about their wives’ health without consulting them.[54] In addition, 38.1% of women questioned in the 2006 DHS reported that distance was a factor limiting their access to reproductive and other health services, again limiting access.[55] A survey conducted in 1996 (cited in the 2002 CEDAW report) found that 23 % of the women questioned and 15 % of men said that they were opposed to contraception.[56] Following a change in the law in 2003, abortion is now legal in Benin in cases of rape or incest, or where the pregnant woman’s life is in danger.[57]

Son Bias

Data from the 2006 DHS survey, reported in the African Women’s Report 2009 does not indicate any significant discrepancy between malnutrition rates of girls and boys under three.[58] Likewise, there is no significant gap between male and female neonatal mortality rates, and the under-five mortality rate is slightly higher for boys than for girls.[59]In terms of access to education, in the 2006 DHS, 48.2% of women aged 15-24 reported never having attended school, compared to 18.3% of men in the same age bracket.[60] In regard to son preference, this is evident in terms of access to education, but not early childhood care. The male/female sex ratio for the total population in 2012 is 1.[61] There is no evidence to suggest that Benin is a country of concern in relation to missing women.

Restricted Resources and Entitlements

According to Article 26 of the Constitution, as well as Article 3 of the African Charter of Human and Peoples’ Rights (to which Benin is a signatory), women and men have equal right to own and administer property.[62] In practice, access to land is extremely restricted for women in Benin; in fact, they may be prohibited from owning any land at all and customary practices make it practically impossible for them to inherit property, and hence, obtain land.[63] This situation is most evident in the agricultural sector. Women make up 80 % of the agricultural workforce but very few are landholders;[64] rather, they must rent land, and often the only land that they are offered is of poor quality,[65] In addition, income they earn by working in the fields may be taken away by their husbands or the husbands’ families. This is one of the issues to be addressed in the government’s new National Policy for Gender Promotion.[66]

The situation is similar in relation to women’s access to bank loans. It is theoretically possible for a woman to obtain a loan, but very difficult, and in certain cases, a woman needs her husband’s permission to apply for credit.[67] It is particularly difficult for women in rural areas to access agricultural credit or equipment and agricultural extension services, as this is often contingent on owning land,[68] Various initiatives have set up micro-credit programmes that focus specifically on women, including some run by women’s NGOs.[69]

Restricted Civil Liberties

There are no legal restrictions on the right of women’s freedom of movement and right to travel independently and without permission from a male relative within and outside Benin.[70] However, when a woman marries, she is expected to move to live with her husband; failure to do so can be grounds for divorce.[71] In addition, in some households, women’s freedom of movement is restricted by husbands: 45% of women reported that their husbands would only allow them to visit friends and relatives with their permission.[72]

Freedom of speech is protected by law in Benin, but the government has been known to disregard this.[73] In particular, libel is a criminal offence, and charges of libel have in the past been used as a tool to intimidate journalists.[74] In the 2006 DHS, 38.8% of women reported having no access to the media, compared to only 13.0% of men, indicating that gender may be a factor in gaining access information from outside the immediate community.[75]

The right to freedom of assembly is generally respected, and requirements for permits for demonstrations are often ignored.[76] According to the 1990 constitution, women have the right to vote and to stand for election at municipal, parliamentary, and presidential level.[77] But in parliamentary elections held in 2011, just seven women were elected, out of 76 MPs (8.4 %).[78] According to the World Economic Forum in 2011, 13% of ministerial positions were held by women.[79]The poor representation of women in the political sphere is explained in part by the fact that, as stated in the JICA country profile for Benin, ‘Women’s involvement in any activities, whether social, economic or cultural is subject to men’s decision’.[80] In addition to hostility towards women candidates, another factor cited by the country’s CEDAW committee in 2002 for the low level of women MPs was lack of access to funds to support a campaign.[81] There are no legal obstacles to forming civil society organisations,[82] and in contrast to the small number of women active in the formal political arena, there is an active and vibrant women’s movement, and many women are also active in other areas of civil society, such as trades unions.[83]

Women’s groups campaign on issues such as violence against women, trafficking of women and children, and increased representation of women in municipal and national assemblies.[84] They were particularly active in campaigning to criminalise and eradicate FGM.[85] That said, even in the NGO sector overall, only 7.4 % of NGOs and 11.1 % of community-based organisations are headed by a woman, indicating that in this sphere, women’s power is limited, and negative social perceptions about women in leadership are evident even at the community level, where women tend to be most socially and economically active.[86] In 2007, only 27 % of posts in public sector were occupied by women.[87]

Under employment law, women are legally entitled to 14 weeks’ maternity leave, and cannot be fired by their employers when they become pregnant;[88] in addition, national policies are in place to address gender discrimination in employment.[89] But lack of awareness among women hinders the successful implementation of these laws and policies.[90] Also, this legislation only applies to women working in the formal economy, where they make up 40.5 % of the workforce.[91] Those women working in the informal sector are not protected by this, or any other, employment legislation. The World Bank estimates that 67 % of women over 15 are economically active.[92] Time-use data collected in 1998 showed that while women’s participation in market economic activities was equal to men’s (16.3 %), women spent almost three times as much time undertaking domestic, care, and volunteer activities (14.4 % as opposed to 4.7 % for men).[93]

Homosexuality is legal in Benin for both women and men, although the age of consent is different for heterosexual and homosexual couples.[94]


References

  1. ↑ Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2010) The World Factbook: Benin , Washington, DC: CIA, online edition, https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bn.html (accessed 1 November 2010)
  2. ↑ Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) (2002), ‘Consideration of reports submitted by States Parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Combined initial, second and third periodic reports of States parties: Benin’, CEDAW/C/BEN/1-3, CEDAW, New York, NY (http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/cedaws33.htm - accessed 1 November 2010) p.4
  3. ↑ Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) (2002), ‘Consideration of reports submitted by States Parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Combined initial, second and third periodic reports of States parties: Benin’, CEDAW/C/BEN/1-3, CEDAW, New York, NY (http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/cedaws33.htm - accessed 1 November 2010)p.4
  4. ↑ Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2010) The World Factbook: Benin , Washington, DC: CIA, online edition, https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bn.html (accessed 1 November 2010)
  5. ↑ Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2010) The World Factbook: Benin , Washington, DC: CIA, online edition, https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bn.html (accessed 1 November 2010)
  6. ↑ Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) (2002), ‘Consideration of reports submitted by States Parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Combined initial, second and third periodic reports of States parties: Benin’, CEDAW/C/BEN/1-3, CEDAW, New York, NY (http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/cedaws33.htm - accessed 1 November 2010)pp. 12, 18
  7. ↑ UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) (2009) African Women’s Report 2009: Measuring Gender Inequality in Africa:Experiences and Lessons from the African Gender and Development Index, Addis Ababa: UNECA. http://www.unUNECA.org/UNECA_resources/publications/books/awr/AWR09_FIN.pdf (accessed 15 October 2010), p.48
  8. ↑ Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) (2002), ‘Consideration of reports submitted by States Parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Combined initial, second and third periodic reports of States parties: Benin’, CEDAW/C/BEN/1-3, CEDAW, New York, NY (http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/cedaws33.htm - accessed 1 November 2010)p.7
  9. ↑ UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) (2009) African Women’s Report 2009: Measuring Gender Inequality in Africa:Experiences and Lessons from the African Gender and Development Index, Addis Ababa: UNECA. http://www.unUNECA.org/UNECA_resources/publications/books/awr/AWR09_FIN.pdf (accessed 15 October 2010) , p.1
  10. ↑ Law No.2011-26 on Prevention and Punishment of Violence Against Women, Republic of Benin (2011)
  11. ↑ African Union (2010) ‘List of countries which have signed, ratified/acceded to the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa’ (as of 27 August 2010). http://www.africa-union.org/root/au/Documents/Treatie
  12. ↑ Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) ‘Country Gender Profile (Benin)’, Cotonou: JICA Bénin. http://www.jica.go.jp/english/operations/thematic_issues/gender/background/pdf/e09ben.pdf (accessed 17 October 2010), p. 23
  13. ↑ World Bank (n.d) ‘Data: Labor participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15+’, http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.TLF.CACT.FE.ZS (accessed 17 October 2010).
  14. ↑ United Nations Development Programme (2011) Human Development Report 2011, available at http://hdr.undp.org/en/media/HDR_2011_EN_Complete.pdf, accessed 29 February 2012p.129
  15. ↑ United Nations Development Programme (2011) Human Development Report 2011, available at http://hdr.undp.org/en/media/HDR_2011_EN_Complete.pdf, accessed 29 February 2012p.129
  16. ↑ World Economic Forum (2011) The Global Gender Gap Report 2011, available at http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_GenderGap_Report_2011.pdf, accessed 2 March 2012.p.11
  17. ↑ CEDAW (2005) ‘Concluding Comments of the Committee: Benin’S, 22/07/2005.A/60/38, CEDAW, New York, NY (http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/cedaws33.htm - accessed 1 November 2010) p.4
  18. ↑ Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) (2002), ‘Consideration of reports submitted by States Parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Combined initial, second and third periodic reports of States parties: Benin’, CEDAW/C/BEN/1-3, CEDAW, New York, NY (http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/cedaws33.htm - accessed 1 November 2010)pp. 12-13
  19. ↑ Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) (2002), ‘Consideration of reports submitted by States Parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Combined initial, second and third periodic reports of States parties: Benin’, CEDAW/C/BEN/1-3, CEDAW, New York, NY (http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/cedaws33.htm - accessed 1 November 2010) p.84
  20. ↑ Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) (2002), ‘Consideration of reports submitted by States Parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Combined initial, second and third periodic reports of States parties: Benin’, CEDAW/C/BEN/1-3, CEDAW, New York, NY (http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/cedaws33.htm - accessed 1 November 2010)p.84
  21. ↑ United Nations Population Division / DESA, World Marriage Data (2008). Available to download at http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/WMD2008/Main.html (accessed 11 October 2010
  22. ↑ Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) (2002), ‘Consideration of reports submitted by States Parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Combined initial, second and third periodic reports of States parties: Benin’, CEDAW/C/BEN/1-3, CEDAW, New York, NY (http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/cedaws33.htm - accessed 1 November 2010)p. 22; Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) ‘Country Gender Profile (Benin)’, Cotonou: JICA Bénin. http://www.jica.go.jp/english/operations/thematic_issues/gender/background/pdf/e09ben.pdf (accessed 17 October 2010), p.17
  23. ↑ UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) (2009) African Women’s Report 2009: Measuring Gender Inequality in Africa:Experiences and Lessons from the African Gender and Development Index, Addis Ababa: UNECA. http://www.unUNECA.org/UNECA_resources/publications/books/awr/AWR09_FIN.pdf (accessed 15 October 2010), p.49
  24. ↑ Institut National de la Statistique et de l’Analyse Économique (INSAE) et Macro International Inc. (2007), p.84
  25. ↑ Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) (2002), ‘Consideration of reports submitted by States Parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Combined initial, second and third periodic reports of States parties: Benin’, CEDAW/C/BEN/1-3, CEDAW, New York, NY (http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/cedaws33.htm - accessed 1 November 2010) p. 17
  26. ↑ Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) (2002), ‘Consideration of reports submitted by States Parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Combined initial, second and third periodic reports of States parties: Benin’, CEDAW/C/BEN/1-3, CEDAW, New York, NY (http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/cedaws33.htm - accessed 1 November 2010) p.88
  27. ↑ Institut National de la Statistique et de l’Analyse Économique (INSAE) et Macro International Inc. (2007), p.17
  28. ↑ Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) ‘Country Gender Profile (Benin)’, Cotonou: JICA Bénin. http://www.jica.go.jp/english/operations/thematic_issues/gender/background/pdf/e09ben.pdf (accessed 17 October 2010), p.19
  29. ↑ Chronic Poverty Research Centre (2011) Widowhood and asset inheritance in sub-Saharan Africa: empirical evidence from 15 countries, available at http://www.chronicpoverty.org/uploads/publication_files/WP183%20Peterman.pdf, accessed 7 March 2012., p.29
  30. ↑ JICA (2009, p.17); Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) (2002), ‘Consideration of reports submitted by States Parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Combined initial, second and third periodic reports of States parties: Benin’, CEDAW/C/BEN/1-3, CEDAW, New York, NY (http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/cedaws33.htm - accessed 1 November 2010) p. 17
  31. ↑ Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) (2002), ‘Consideration of reports submitted by States Parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Combined initial, second and third periodic reports of States parties: Benin’, CEDAW/C/BEN/1-3, CEDAW, New York, NY (http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/cedaws33.htm - accessed 1 November 2010) p.88
  32. ↑ CEDAW (2005) ‘Concluding Comments of the Committee: Benin’S, 22/07/2005.A/60/38, CEDAW, New York, NY (http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/cedaws33.htm - accessed 1 November 2010) p.4
  33. ↑ CEDAW (2005) ‘Concluding Comments of the Committee: Benin’S, 22/07/2005.A/60/38, CEDAW, New York, NY (http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/cedaws33.htm - accessed 1 November 2010) , p.5
  34. ↑ US Department of State (2010) ‘2009 Country Reports on Human Rights: Benin’, http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2009/af/135938.htm (accessed 1 November 2010).World Bank (n.d.) ‘Data: Benin’, http://data.worldbank.org/country/benin (accessed 17 October 2011)
  35. ↑ US Department of State (2010) ‘2009 Country Reports on Human Rights: Benin’, http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2009/af/135938.htm (accessed 1 November 2010).World Bank (n.d.) ‘Data: Benin’, http://data.worldbank.org/country/benin (accessed 17 October 2011)
  36. ↑ US Department of State (2010) ‘2009 Country Reports on Human Rights: Benin’, http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2009/af/135938.htm (accessed 1 November 2010).World Bank (n.d.) ‘Data: Benin’, http://data.worldbank.org/country/benin (accessed 17 October 2011)
  37. ↑ Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) (2002), ‘Consideration of reports submitted by States Parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against W Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) (2002), ‘Consideration of reports submitted by States Parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Combined initial, second and third periodic reports of States parties: Benin’, CEDAW/C/BEN/1-3, CEDAW, New York, NY (http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/cedaws33.htm - accessed 1 November 2010) Women, Combined initial, second and third periodic reports of States parties: Benin’, CEDAW/C/BEN/1-3, CEDAW, New York, NY (http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/cedaws33.htm - accessed 1 November 2010) p.30
  38. ↑ UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) (2009) African Women’s Report 2009: Measuring Gender Inequality in Africa:Experiences and Lessons from the African Gender and Development Index, Addis Ababa: UNECA. http://www.unUNECA.org/UNECA_resources/publications/books/awr/AWR09_FIN.pdf (accessed 15 October 2010)., p.70
  39. ↑ Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) (2002), ‘Consideration of reports submitted by States Parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Combined initial, second and third periodic reports of States parties: Benin’, CEDAW/C/BEN/1-3, CEDAW, New York, NY (http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/cedaws33.htm - accessed 1 November 2010
  40. ↑ Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) (2002), ‘Consideration of reports submitted by States Parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Combined initial, second and third periodic reports of States parties: Benin’, CEDAW/C/BEN/1-3, CEDAW, New York, NY (http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/cedaws33.htm - accessed 1 November 2010) p. 23
  41. ↑ Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) (2002), ‘Consideration of reports submitted by States Parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Combined initial, second and third periodic reports of States parties: Benin’, CEDAW/C/BEN/1-3, CEDAW, New York, NY (http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/cedaws33.htm - accessed 1 November 2010) p. 23
  42. ↑ UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) (2009) African Women’s Report 2009: Measuring Gender Inequality in Africa: Experiences and Lessons from the African Gender and Development Index, Addis Ababa: UNECA. http://www.unUNECA.org/UNECA_resources/publications/books/awr/AWR09_FIN.pdf (accessed 15 October 2010), p.2
  43. ↑ , CEDAW (2005) ‘Concluding Comments of the Committee: Benin’S, 22/07/2005.A/60/38, CEDAW, New York, NY (http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/cedaws33.htm - accessed 1 November 2010) p.7
  44. ↑ CEDAW (2005) ‘Concluding Comments of the Committee: Benin’S, 22/07/2005.A/60/38, CEDAW, New York, NY (http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/cedaws33.htm - accessed 1 November 2010) , p.3
  45. ↑ Institut National de la Statistique et de l’Analyse Économique (INSAE) et Macro International Inc. (2007), p.152
  46. ↑ Institut National de la Statistique et de l’Analyse Économique (INSAE) et Macro International Inc. (2007), p.157
  47. ↑ UNICEF (2005b), “Changing a Harmful Social Convention: Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting”, Innocenti Digest, www.unicef-icdc.org/publications/pdf/fgmgb-2005.pdf., p.7
  48. ↑ Institut National de la Statistique et de l’Analyse Économique (INSAE) et Macro International Inc. (2007), p.165
  49. ↑ UNICEF (2007) State of the World’s Children : the Double Dividend of Gender Equality, New York: UNICEF http://www.unicef.org/sowc07/docs/sowc07.pdf,p.134
  50. ↑ UNICEF (2005a), p.7; Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) ‘Country Gender Profile (Benin)’, Cotonou: JICA Bénin. http://www.jica.go.jp/english/operations/thematic_issues/gender/background/pdf/e09ben.pdf (accessed 17 October 2010) , p.30
  51. ↑ CEDAW (2005) ‘Concluding Comments of the Committee: Benin’S, 22/07/2005.A/60/38, CEDAW, New York, NY (http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/cedaws33.htm - accessed 1 November 2010) , p.6
  52. ↑ UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) (2009) African Women’s Report 2009: Measuring Gender Inequality in Africa:Experiences and Lessons from the African Gender and Development Index, Addis Ababa: UNECA. http://www.unUNECA.org/UNECA_resources/publications/books/awr/AWR09_FIN.pdf (accessed 15 October 2010), p..119; Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) ‘Country Gender Profile (Benin)’, Cotonou: JICA Bénin. http://www.jica.go.jp/english/operations/thematic_issues/gender/background/pdf/e09ben.pdf (accessed 17 October 2010), p.27
  53. ↑ Institut National de la Statistique et de l’Analyse Économique (INSAE) et Macro International Inc. (2007), p.283
  54. ↑ UNICEF (2007), p.18. See also Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) ‘Country Gender Profile (Benin)’, Cotonou: JICA Bénin
  55. ↑ Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) (2002), ‘Consideration of reports submitted by States Parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Combined initial, second and third periodic reports of States parties: Benin’, CEDAW/C/BEN/1-3, CEDAW, New York, NY (http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/cedaws33.htm - accessed 1 November 2010) p.89
  56. ↑ Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) (2002), ‘Consideration of reports submitted by States Parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Combined initial, second and third periodic reports of States parties: Benin’, CEDAW/C/BEN/1-3, CEDAW, New York, NY (http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/cedaws33.htm - accessed 1 November 2010) p.89
  57. ↑ CEDAW (2005) ‘Concluding Comments of the Committee: Benin’S, 22/07/2005.A/60/38, CEDAW, New York, NY (http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/cedaws33.htm - accessed 1 November 2010) , p.4
  58. ↑ UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) (2009) African Women’s Report 2009: Measuring Gender Inequality in Africa:Experiences and Lessons from the African Gender and Development Index, Addis Ababa: UNECA. http://www.unUNECA.org/UNECA_resources/publications/books/awr/AWR09_FIN.pdf (accessed 15 October 2010), p.102
  59. ↑ Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) ‘Country Gender Profile (Benin)’, Cotonou: JICA Bénin. http://www.jica.go.jp/english/operations/thematic_issues/gender/background/pdf/e09ben.pdf (accessed 17 October 2010), p.28
  60. ↑ Institut National de la Statistique et de l’Analyse Économique (INSAE) et Macro International Inc. (2007), pp.34-35
  61. ↑ Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2010) The World Factbook: Benin , Washington, DC: CIA, online edition, https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bn.html (accessed 1 November 2010)
  62. ↑ Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) (2002), ‘Consideration of reports submitted by States Parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Combined initial, second and third periodic reports of States parties: Benin’, CEDAW/C/BEN/1-3, CEDAW, New York, NY (http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/cedaws33.htm - accessed 1 November 2010).p.79
  63. ↑ Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) (2002), ‘Consideration of reports submitted by States Parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Combined initial, second and third periodic reports of States parties: Benin’, CEDAW/C/BEN/1-3, CEDAW, New York, NY (http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/cedaws33.htm - accessed 1 November 2010) p.78; Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) ‘Country Gender Profile (Benin)’, Cotonou: JICA Bénin. http://www.jica.go.jp/english/operations/thematic_issues/gender/background/pdf/e09ben.pdf (accessed 17 October 2010), p. 18-19
  64. ↑ Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) ‘Country Gender Profile (Benin)’, Cotonou: JICA Bénin. http://www.jica.go.jp/english/operations/thematic_issues/gender/background/pdf/e09ben.pdf (accessed 17 October 2010), p.32
  65. ↑ Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) (2002), ‘Consideration of reports submitted by States Parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Combined initial, second and third periodic reports of States parties: Benin’, CEDAW/C/BEN/1-3, CEDAW, New York, NY (http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/cedaws33.htm - accessed 1 November 2010)p.78
  66. ↑ Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) ‘Country Gender Profile (Benin)’, Cotonou: JICA Bénin. http://www.jica.go.jp/english/operations/thematic_issues/gender/background/pdf/e09ben.pdf (accessed 17 October 2010) , p.33
  67. ↑ Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) (2002), ‘Consideration of reports submitted by States Parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Combined initial, second and third periodic reports of States parties: Benin’, CEDAW/C/BEN/1-3, CEDAW, New York, NY (http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/cedaws33.htm - accessed 1 November 2010) p.79; UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) (2009) African Women’s Report 2009: Measuring Gender Inequality in Africa: Experiences and Lessons from the African Gender and Development Index, Addis Ababa: UNECA. http://www.unUNECA.org/UNECA_resources/publications/books/awr/AWR09_FIN.pdf (accessed 15 October 2010), p.137
  68. ↑ JICA (2009; pp.19, 33; Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) (2002), ‘Consideration of reports submitted by States Parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Combined initial, second and third periodic reports of States parties: Benin’, CEDAW/C/BEN/1-3, CEDAW, New York, NY (http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/cedaws33.htm - accessed 1 November 2010)p.70
  69. ↑ Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) (2002), ‘Consideration of reports submitted by States Parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Combined initial, second and third periodic reports of States parties: Benin’, CEDAW/C/BEN/1-3, CEDAW, New York, NY (http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/cedaws33.htm - accessed 1 November 2010)p.68
  70. ↑ Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) (2002), ‘Consideration of reports submitted by States Parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Combined initial, second and third periodic reports of States parties: Benin’, CEDAW/C/BEN/1-3, CEDAW, New York, NY (http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/cedaws33.htm - accessed 1 November 2010)p. 30
  71. ↑ Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) (2002), ‘Consideration of reports submitted by States Parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Combined initial, second and third periodic reports of States parties: Benin’, CEDAW/C/BEN/1-3, CEDAW, New York, NY (http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/cedaws33.htm - accessed 1 November 2010)p.81
  72. ↑ UNICEF (2007), p.20
  73. ↑ US Department of State (2010) ‘2009 Country Reports on Human Rights: Benin’, http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2009/af/135938.htm (accessed 1 November 2010).World Bank (n.d.) ‘Data: Benin’, http://data.worldbank.org/country/benin (accessed 17 October 2010)
  74. ↑ US Department of State (2010) ‘2009 Country Reports on Human Rights: Benin’, http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2009/af/135938.htm (accessed 1 November 2010).World Bank (n.d.) ‘Data: Benin’, http://data.worldbank.org/country/benin (accessed 17 October 2010)
  75. ↑ Institut National de la Statistique et de l’Analyse Économique (INSAE) et Macro International Inc. (2007), pp.40-41
  76. ↑ US Department of State (2010) ‘2009 Country Reports on Human Rights: Benin’, http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2009/af/135938.htm (accessed 1 November 2010).World Bank (n.d.) ‘Data: Benin’, http://data.worldbank.org/country/benin (accessed 17 October 2010); Freedom House (2010)
  77. ↑ Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) (2002), ‘Consideration of reports submitted by States Parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Combined initial, second and third periodic reports of States parties: Benin’, CEDAW/C/BEN/1-3, CEDAW, New York, NY (http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/cedaws33.htm - accessed 1 November 2010)p.30
  78. ↑ Inter-Parliamentary Union (n.d.) ‘BENIN Assemblée nationale (National Assembly)’, http://www.ipu.org/english/parline/reports/2033_E.htm (accessed 11 October 2010).
  79. ↑ World Economic Forum (2011) The Global Gender Gap Report 2011, available at http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_GenderGap_Report_2011.pdf, accessed 2 March 2012.
  80. ↑ Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) ‘Country Gender Profile (Benin)’, Cotonou: JICA Bénin. http://www.jica.go.jp/english/operations/thematic_issues/gender/background/pdf/e09ben.pdf (accessed 17 October 2010) p.16
  81. ↑ Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) (2002), ‘Consideration of reports submitted by States Parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Combined initial, second and third periodic reports of States parties: Benin’, CEDAW/C/BEN/1-3, CEDAW, New York, NY (http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/cedaws33.htm - accessed 1 November 2010)p.31
  82. ↑ Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) (2002), ‘Consideration of reports submitted by States Parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Combined initial, second and third periodic reports of States parties: Benin’, CEDAW/C/BEN/1-3, CEDAW, New York, NY (http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/cedaws33.htm - accessed 1 November 2010)p.71
  83. ↑ Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) (2002), ‘Consideration of reports submitted by States Parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Combined initial, second and third periodic reports of States parties: Benin’, CEDAW/C/BEN/1-3, CEDAW, New York, NY (http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/cedaws33.htm - accessed 1 November 2010)p.33
  84. ↑ Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) (2002), ‘Consideration of reports submitted by States Parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Combined initial, second and third periodic reports of States parties: Benin’, CEDAW/C/BEN/1-3, CEDAW, New York, NY (http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/cedaws33.htm - accessed 1 November 2010)
  85. ↑ CEDAW (2005) ‘Concluding Comments of the Committee: Benin’S, 22/07/2005.A/60/38, CEDAW, New York, NY (http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/cedaws33.htm - accessed 1 November 2010), p. 3
  86. ↑ Inequality in Africa:Experiences and Lessons from the African Gender and Development Index, Addis Ababa: UNECA. http://www.unUNECA.org/UNECA_resources/publications/books/awr/AWR09_FIN.pdf (accessed 15 October 2010) pp.173, 175
  87. ↑ Amen Laboratory (2009) Women of Benin in the Heart of Social Change Dynamics, available at http://library.fes.de/pdf-files/bueros/benin/06196.pdf, accessed 7 march 2012.(2009) p.64
  88. ↑ Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) (2002), ‘Consideration of reports submitted by States Parties under article 18 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Combined initial, second and third periodic reports of States parties: Benin’, CEDAW/C/BEN/1-3, CEDAW, New York, NY (http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/cedaws33.htm - accessed 1 November 2010) p.48
  89. ↑ UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) (2009) African Women’s Report 2009: Measuring Gender Inequality in Africa:Experiences and Lessons from the African Gender and Development Index, Addis Ababa: UNECA. http://www.unUNECA.org/UNECA_resources/publications/books/awr/AWR09_FIN.pdf (accessed 15 October 2010) , p.145
  90. ↑ UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) (2009) African Women’s Report 2009: Measuring Gender Inequality in Africa:Experiences and Lessons from the African Gender and Development Index, Addis Ababa: UNECA. http://www.unUNECA.org/UNECA_resources/publications/books/awr/AWR09_FIN.pdf (accessed 15 October 2010) , p.145
  91. ↑ UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) (2009) African Women’s Report 2009: Measuring Gender Inequality in Africa:Experiences and Lessons from the African Gender and Development Index, Addis Ababa: UNECA. http://www.unUNECA.org/UNECA_resources/publications/books/awr/AWR09_FIN.pdf (accessed 15 October 2010)., p.130
  92. ↑ World Bank (n.d) ‘Data: Labor participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15+’, http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.TLF.CACT.FE.ZS (accessed 17 October 2010).
  93. ↑ INSAE/PNUD (1998) ‘Enquête emploi du temps au Bénin, Méthodologie et résultats’, in , UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) (2009) African Women’s Report 2009: Measuring Gender Inequality in Africa:Experiences and Lessons from the African Gender and Development Index, Addis Ababa: UNECA. http://www.unUNECA.org/UNECA_resources/publications/books/awr/AWR09_FIN.pdf (accessed 15 October 2010) p.129
  94. ↑ International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA), (n.d.), country profile: Benin, http://ilga.org/ilga/en/countries/BENIN/Articles (accessed 11 October 2010).

Sources

The Africa for Women's Rights Campaign

Africa4womensrights.png

Key facts

The Campaign

On 8 March 2009 the "Africa for Women's Rights" Campaign was launched at the initiative of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), in collaboration with fove non-governmental regional organisations: the African Center for Democracy and Human Rights Studies(ACDHRS), Femmes Africa Solidarité (FAS), Women’s Aid Collective (WACOL), Women in Law and Development in Africa (WILDAF) and Women and Law in Southern Africa (WLSA). These organisations make up the Steering Committee responsible for the coordination of the Campaign.

The Campaign aims to put an end to discrimination and violence against women in Africa, calling on states to ratify international and regional instruments protecting women's rights, to repeal all discriminatory laws, to adopt laws protecting the rights of women and to take all necessary measures to wensure their effective implementation.

Country Focus: Benin

Although Benin has ratified the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), as well as the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol), the Government has yet to ratify the Optional Protocol to CEDAW.

While the law in Benin does not contain provisions that discriminate against women, women’s rights continue to be violated in practice. The Coalition of the Campaign is particularly concerned by the following violations of women’s rights in Benin: discrimination within the family; violence against women; obstacles to freedom of movement; and limited access to education, decision-making positions and healthcare.

Read more

Sources

The Women, Business and the Law

Where are laws equal for men and women?  

The Women, Business and the Law report presents indicators based on laws and regulations affecting women's prospects as entrepreneurs and employees. Several of these indicators draw on the Gender Law Library, a collection of over 2,000 legal provisions impacting women's economic status. This report does not seek to judge or rank countries, but to provide information to inform discussions about women’s economic rights. Women, Business and the Law provides data covering 6 areas: accessing institutions,using property, getting a job, providing incentives to work, building credit, and going to court. Read more about the methodology.

For detailed information on Benin, please visit the Women, Business and
the Law Benin page.

Sources

Progress assessment towards Millenium Development Goal#3: Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women

Millennium Development Goal #3 is divided into three sub-categories, each of them focusing on different areas: education, employment wage and political power.

Ratios of girls to boys in primary, secondary and tertiary education

Benin's education system has a ratio of girls to boys in the primary of 0.77 in 2004 [1]. The official assessment of 2010 found it at 0.9, which shows progress in this matter. But the projections shows that parity could be attained by 2015 at the primary level, but it's getting less evident at the secondary and tertiary educations level.[2]

Share of women in wage employment in the non-agricultural sector

Women's access to paid employment is still limited in Benin. Cultural rules and norms make access to credit and land rights remote for the women.[3].

Proportion of seats held by women in national parliament

This rate was at 7.2% in 2007[4]. Between the 2003 and 2008 local elections, the increase of elected women was at a disappointing 0.43%.[5]. Besides, there's a great disparity between regions on the proportion of elected women.

References

  1. ↑ MDG Monitor. Benin.http://www.mdgmonitor.org/map.cfm?goal=&indicator=&cd=
  2. ↑ PNUD Benin.http://www.bj.undp.org/fr/omd3.html
  3. ↑ PNUD Benin.http://www.bj.undp.org/fr/omd3.html
  4. ↑ MDG Monitor. Benin.http://www.mdgmonitor.org/map.cfm?goal=&indicator=&cd=
  5. ↑ PNUD Benin.http://www.bj.undp.org/fr/omd3.html
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