INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE GIRL IN BENIN

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE GIRL IN BENIN MESSAGE FROM THE MINISTER OF SOCIAL AFFAIRS AND MICROFINANCE Beninese and Beninese Dear compatriots, October 11, 2019, Benin, like the international community, celebrates the International Day of the Girl… The theme chosen internationally for the 2019 edition is: quotWith it: encouraging the education and professional qualification of girlsquot. Indeed, everywhere in the world, girls face adversities that hinder their education, their training and their entry into the world of work… In Benin, a 2015 study on the behavior, attitudes and violent practices on children, carried out by my ministerial department with the support of UNICEF, shows that the marriage of underage girls is a commonly accepted practice. Thus, almost one in ten girls is married before the age of 15, and more than three in ten before the age of 18. These forced or early marriages have a significant impact on access to education. Also, in primary school, there is near parity between boys and girls. Then a gap widens over the course of schooling: out of 100,000 inhabitants, 1,700 boys are now in higher education, against only 630 girls. In the area of employment in Benin, many girls are self-employed (86.4%) and 92.7% of women's activities are in the informal sector. As a result, girls face specific challenges with regard to their socio-economic development due to their gender. The theme of the 8th edition of the International Day of the Girl (JIFI) also urges us to evaluate our traditions in order to tie them to the development we want; and to put in place effective mechanisms likely to improve their conditions of access to development opportunities... Ladies and Gentlemen, I appeal to all the authorities at various levels who must remain guarantors of the texts of the Republic by ensuring that their observance and rigorous application. It is a challenge to be met because we will not be able to continue to smash the future of girls in the name of tradition and erroneous interpretations of our great holy books… I remain convinced that, by coordinating our interventions, we will meet these challenges… Long live Beninese girls! Together for a Benin fit for children! Thank you.