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Viewing cable 06COTONOU1228, BENIN: WORST FORMS OF CHILD LABOR

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
06COTONOU1228 2006-12-22 05:54 2011-08-30 01:44 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Cotonou
VZCZCXRO2134
PP RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHCO #1228/01 3560554
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 220554Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY COTONOU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9102
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1026
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 COTONOU 001228 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR DRL/IL:TU DANG, AF/W, AF/RSA, AND G/TIP:VZEITLIN AND 
ALEMAR-MEREDITH 
DOL FOR ILAB/MCCARTER 
ACCRA FOR USAID/WA 
PARIS FOR POL - D'ELIA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ELAB EIND ETRD PHUM SOCI EAID BN
SUBJECT: BENIN: WORST FORMS OF CHILD LABOR 
 
REF: A. STATE 184972 
 
     B. COTONOU 97 
     C. COTONOU 1165 
 
COTONOU 00001228  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
1. This cable responds to the Department's request for information 
for the Worst Forms of Child Labor report (Ref A). 
 
LAWS AND ENFORCEMENT 
-------------------- 
 
2. Benin's Labor Code sets the minimum age for employment at 14 
years of age, but children aged 12 to 14 may perform domestic work 
and light work of a temporary or seasonal nature, provided that it 
does not interfere with their compulsory schooling. Primary 
education (Grades 1-6, children aged 6-11) is free and compulsory. 
 
3. Beninese law does not at present contain a definition of the 
worst forms of child labor, however Benin ratified both 
International Labor Organization Conventions 138 (setting the 
minimum work age) and 182 (defining the worst forms of child labor) 
in 2001. Benin has not yet provided a list or equivalent document 
identifying hazardous forms of work prohibited to minors under 
Article 4 of Convention 182. According to the Ministry of Labor, the 
government is currently compiling a list of hazardous forms of child 
labor for submission in 2007. 
 
4. The government has designated the Ministry of Interior's Brigade 
for the Protection of Minors as having jurisdiction over all law 
enforcement matters related to children, including child labor and 
child trafficking. The worst forms of child labor can be prosecuted 
under different statues in Benin including the Penal Code, the Labor 
Code, the General Collective Convention on Labor, the Social Code, 
case law, and a wide range of other legislation and government 
decrees. Depending on the case in question, laws against 
prostitution, forced or bonded labor, and the employment of children 
less than 14 years of age may be used to punish violators. 
 
5. On April 5, 2006 the president promulgated a new law against 
child trafficking (Ref B). The new law provides for increased 
penalties for the trafficking of minors, including imprisonment from 
six months to life, depending on the severity of the crime, and 
fines from $100 (50,000 CFA francs) to $10,000 (five million CFA 
francs). The law states that individuals who are aware of child 
trafficking offenses and do not report them shall face fines of $20 
(10,000 CFA francs) to $100 (50,000 CFA francs). On July 9, 2006, 
along with 23 other West and Central African countries, the 
government signed an agreement and adopted an action plan to combat 
trafficking. Regional efforts also continued between heads of state 
of concerned countries to cooperate to identify, investigate, and 
prosecute agents and traffickers, and to protect and repatriate 
trafficking victims. 
 
6. There are no statistics currently available concerning the number 
of child labor complaints investigated and violations addressed. 
There are approximately 100 government labor agents (Inspectors, 
Controllers and administrators), who are located at the departmental 
level throughout the 12 departments of Benin. These officials only 
regulate the formal sector (not the informal one, where the majority 
of child labor occurs) and none are dedicated solely to 
investigating child labor cases. When someone brings a complaint 
regarding child labor, a government labor inspector will visit the 
work site and investigate. If the law is being violated, the labor 
inspector may try to negotiate with the "employer" to remedy the 
situation immediately, if possible. If the labor inspector finds 
serious violations have occurred, the inspector has the authority to 
sanction the employer and order the employer to pay compensation to 
the victim(s). In 2006 the government, in collaboration with IPEC, 
provided a two-day training session on convention 138 and convention 
182 to approximately 15 officials charged with enforcing child labor 
laws. 
 
PREVENTION AND PROGRAMMING 
-------------------------- 
 
7. According to IPEC, the government finances some initiatives to 
prevent the worst forms of child labor, but detailed information is 
not available at this time. One such program involves purchasing 
rock-crushing equipment to be used by collectives engaged in 
quarrying activities in central Benin. 
 
8. In an effort to boost school attendance and alleviate the 
financial burden on families, the government recently declared 
schools could no longer require parents to pay fees for school 
teaching materials and office supplies, only uniforms and books for 
their children (Ref C). In addition, the government is examining 
 
COTONOU 00001228  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
ways to improve the implementation of the primary education 
curriculum called the "New Study Program." This program, which is 
designed to enhance the quality and relevance of schooling, was 
rolled out to successive primary school grades 1-6 beginning in 
1999. The sixth grade curriculum was introduced in 2004. Primary 
education is compulsory, but this requirement is not enforced. 
 
9. The Government does not provide direct support to vocational 
programs that could serve as an alternative to hazardous forms of 
child labor for older children. But international organizations such 
as ILO (through the IPEC/LUTRENA program), UNICEF, and DANIDA 
provide financial support to local NGOs, which administer such 
programming. In addition, there is a USDOL-funded project being 
implemented by Catholic Relief Services that has helped over 5,000 
children to either be withdrawn from, or avoid altogether, child 
trafficking for exploitative labor in Benin. 
 
 
CHILD LABOR POLICY 
------------------ 
 
10. Benin does not have either a comprehensive policy or national 
program of action on child labor. IPEC notes, however, that the 
government is a signatory to Convention 182 and is open to 
cooperation with various organizations working to combat the worst 
forms of child labor. According to statistics (from Benin's 2002 
census) published in a 2006 ILO publication entitled "La fin du 
travail des enfants: un objectif a notre portee," there are 480,023 
children 14 and under working in either the formal or informal 
sectors in Benin in the following activities: agriculture, hunting 
and fishing (275,648); industry (22,476); construction and public 
works (4,189); trade/vending and food & beverage (78,823); 
transportation and communication (909); and other services including 
employment as household staff (97,978). 
 
HOLTZAPPLE