by Marie Kangambega Quenum, Benin, July 1997
THEME = CHILDREN
The facts are frightening. According to the statistics of the
Juvenile Protection Bureau - in 1996, Benin's diplomatic
representatives in foreign countries, succeeded in recovering 92
children found in unhappy circumstances. In 1995, 39 children had
already been repatriated.
In 1995, 119 children leaving the country were turned back by
border security. This figure rose to 413 in 1996, and from 1
January to 30 June 1997, 697 children were stopped at the frontier
and returned to their place of origin. The situation is clear: the
number of children falling victim to this traffic is
increasing every year.
In the past, some children were entrusted by their parents to third
parties. This was done for family reasons or out of friendship, but
always within the context of the enlarged family group or local
community, and there was no thought of profit-making. Nowadays,
children are subject to a shameful traffic - the main
reason being, according to Mr Paul Fagnon, from the
Association "Terre des Hommes" - poverty within
the family. Worst of all, when these families hand over their
children, they do not clearly understand the consequences of their
actions.
At a national level, children handed over into the "care"
of a third party, are known as: "entrusted
children". A survey, carried out jointly in 1994 at
Cotonou and at Porto-Novo by UNICEF and the Social Protection
Department, showed that, out of 155 households surveyed, 151 housed
at least one "entrusted child". 85% of these children
were female, 72% of them were between 10 and 14 years old and 20%
less than 10 years old. 90% of the children had never been to
school.
Both at home and abroad, these "entrusted children" are
used for household labour, as street vendors or in the worst cases,
are drawn into procurement networks.
And of course, it's children who are always the victims. For a
"pledged" emplacement lasting two or three years, their
families might receive anything from 20,000 to 80,000 CFA francs
for each placement. Another reason given for "placing"
children, is to protect them from the ravages of sorcery (sorcerers
are known as "eaters of souls". For this reason,
the children are sent a long way away from their own villages.
So what happens to the child? Consequences include ill-treatment
and psychological damage which may be serious. Dr. Emilienne
Kpadonou, from the non-governmental organisation "Terre
des Hommes" which concerns itself with children in
difficulty, describes this treatment of children as:
"sadomasochistic behaviour" because it can have
long-term consequences, continuing into future generations. Some
"host" families or individuals even change the child's
name and religion, which causes identity problems.
The Convention on the Rights of the Child, signed by Benin,
classifies a child as being: "Any human person under 18 years
of age, unless majority is reached under the terms of legislation
applying to that person." Article 321 of this document states
that: "Participating States, recognise the child's right to be
protected against economic exploitation, and not to be forced into
any work which may involve risk, or which may compromise its
education or damage its health or physical, mental, spiritual,
moral or social development".
In Benin, the existence of "entrusted children" dates
from 1987, but it was 1990 before the authorities really
appreciated its extent. Already, in 1961, a law had been passed
regulating the placement of minors under the age of 18, outside the
country. A decree established procedures for granting exit permits
to such minors. Confronted with the fact that children were being
shipped outside the country, further legislation was enacted in
1995 to strengthen the effect of existing laws.
The authorities are committed to controlling this
"traffic". Other NGOs and associations for the defence of
the rights of the child, as well as international organisations,
have similar pre-occupations. At a meeting held at the end
of July, those involved in dealing with traffic in children,
suggested some possible solutions. The main outcome was to develop
a plan of action, envisaging several stages in the struggle to
stamp out this nefarious practice.
In the short term: The Media will be asked to play a greater
role; monitoring committees will set up at all levels; Social
Protection Centres (CPS) established or re-established in all sub-
prefectures, thus strengthening the combined efforts of the
Juvenile Protection Bureau (BPM), local social workers and the
CPSs. It was also considered highly desirable that the BPM should
have the necessary funding for responding to the problem, and that
a law should be drafted and passed to eliminate the traffic in
children.
The problem of "go-betweens" in the "trade" was
also raised. The feeling of those taking part in the meeting was
that such people should be denounced and punished. Benin's
diplomatic representatives were asked to concern themselves with
the struggle to protect the children.
Regarding a middle-term course of action: a solution must be
found to this scandal which is only going to increase. Children
must be given the opportunity to have access to written material in
their own language; there must be free primary education in
accordance with article 13 of the Constitution (it's a fact that
not everyone can afford to pay school fees).
In the long term: It is planned to establish a vocational
training centre. Already at a national level, some action has been
implemented. "Terre des Hommes" plans to set up a centre
and shelter at the big international Dantokpa market at Cotonou,
where "entrusted children" are employed, especially by
shop-keepers and saleswomen. Here they can be given training in
subjects like domestic science.
Under the terms of implementation of the Convention on the Rights
of the Child, a Charter specifically designed to protect the
"entrusted children" was drafted in November 1996, and
officially launched in March 1997. The signatories to this Charter
undertake, among other things: "Not to place any of their
children with a third person before the age of 14, and not to
pledge or transfer any child from the family into the charge of a
third person with a view to accepting some kind of compensation, be
it monetary or otherwise; not to accept or seek to take under their
roof, any child of less than 14 years, for domestic or commercial
work."
The Charter also defines what to do about children who are
already with another person or people. In this case,
"the child shall benefit from the same rights as the children
in the family, especially the right to keep its own name, the right
to proper nourishment, clean accommodation, and proper medical
care..."
But within a Benin context, this Charter is considered difficult
to apply. Why? Because poor parents are continually looking for
ways and means to make ends meet. So what happens? They know that
city folk are always looking for cheap labour, so "lending
out" a child for a certain time (and for a certain financial
compensation) seems an obvious solution.
END