VZCZCXRO6353
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHCO #0089/01 0700910
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 110910Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY COTONOU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0808
INFO RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1410
RUEAWJB/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC
RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 COTONOU 000089 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/PD (ANYASO, TITUS, LISENBY), AF/W (ACOOK) 
DEPT FOR USAID 
DOJ FOR ICITAP and OPDAT 
PARIS FOR ARS (DWINTON) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KIRC SCUL OIIP KPAO BN
SUBJECT: BENIN: GPRA REPORT: WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH LAUNCH 
 
REF: STATE 17838 
 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY: Post held a series of program activities on March 5, 
2009 to launch Women's History Month.  The day's activities, part of 
the Fulbright/Humphrey International Visitor Alumni Outreach 
program, included a book discussion, an exhibit of art works by 
female artists and the screening of a film about sexual harassment. 
After giving background information about Women's History Month and 
the Mission's interest in promoting women's development, PAO Rhonda 
¶J. Watson introduced the facilitator of the book discussion, Dr. 
David Houeto.  The ARS Nouveaux Horizons book under discussion, 
titled "Autonomisation et reduction de la pauvret: outils et 
solutions pratiques" (Empowerment and Poverty Reduction: A 
Sourcebook), dealt with institutional reforms required to foster 
development. END SUMMARY. 
 
 
¶2.  DATE OF ACTIVITY: March 5; Second quarter, FY 09. 
 
¶3.  PROGRAM JUSTIFICATION/OBJECTIVES: Emphasizing the concept of 
"Empowerment" as it has implications for bolstering democracy, 
combating corruption and promoting economic growth. Dr. Houeto's 
presentation focused on the links between empowerment, local 
governance, access to justice and legal aid and market development. 
 
¶4.  MPP UMBRELLA THEMES AND AUDIENCE REACHED: Bolstering democracy 
and combating corruption; Mission outreach promoting women, art and 
culture, promoting economic growth and mutual understanding. 80 
participants, including former President of the High Court of 
Justice, lawyers, faculty members of the University of 
Abomey-Calavi, journalists, NGO members, officials from other 
Diplomatic Missions, Mission staff, and other interested guests 
attended the conference that was covered by all major media outlets 
including TV, radio and print media. Estimated audience reached: 3.5 
million. 
 
¶5.  ACTIVITIES/IMPACT/RESULT: In her opening remarks, PAO Watson 
gave a brief history of Women History Month that started back in 
1978 and highlighted President Obama's proclamation for 2009. 
Copies of this proclamation were distributed to the audience.  Dr. 
HOUETO's engaging PowerPoint presentation of the French version of 
the book, "Empowerment and Poverty Reduction" an outgrowth of World 
Development Report 2000/2001. This title was published in French by 
ARS Nouveaux Horizons for distribution in Francophone Posts. The 
book provides a framework for empowerment that concentrates on 
increasing poor people's freedom of choice and action to shape their 
own lives. This framework pertains to five areas of action to 
improve development effectiveness: provision of basic services, 
improved local governance, improved national governance, access to 
justice and legal aid, and pro-poor market development. This 
Sourcebook gives tools and practices that concentrate on a wide 
range of topics to encourage the empowerment of the poor.  These 
include poor people's enterprises, information and communication 
technologies, and diagnostic tools including corruption surveys and 
citizen report cards. 
 
Throughout his presentation, Dr. Houeto emphasized that to achieve 
sustainability in development programs, experts and donor agencies 
need to change principles of development aid by adopting the mindset 
of partnership with local populations to incorporate indigenous 
knowledge, skills and values.  40 copies of the book were 
distributed to members of the audience who participated in a 
raffle-style drawing. 
 
Following the book discussion, the American Cultural Center (ACC) 
hosted an art exhibit by three female Beninese artists to promote 
women in the arts. At the opening session of the Art Exhibit, 
Cultural Affairs Assistant Osseni introduced the artists: Sister 
Henriette Marie Goussikindey, Rebecca Odjo-Favi and Nelly Denakpo. 
 
Rebecca Odjo Favi, a young artist born in 1977, began painting in 
the nineties. She participated in painting training workshops from 
1993 to 1999 and introduced drawing techniques to children ranging 
in age from 10 to 15. 
 
Trained at the Institute of Training Art in Mbalmayo, Cameroon in 
1997, Sister Goussikindey uses cloth, acrylic, stained glass paint, 
and Chinese ink in her work. 
 
The third artist, Nelly Denakpo, is also the President of a local 
youth association.  Her work features the Amazons, a female military 
regiment of the Kingdom of Danxome(now Benin) who were successfully 
used by King Agadja in defeating the neighboring kingdom of Savi in 
¶1727. These female warriors were used for a hundred years and gained 
a fierce reputation as brave and fearless warriors.  Nelly Denakpo 
 
COTONOU 00000089  002 OF 002 
 
 
also produced a documentary on the same subject that was launched on 
March 7 and will be projected at the American Cultural center on 
March 20, 2009. 
 
To conclude the day's activities, the ACC showed a USAID-funded and 
locally-produced film dealing with sexual harassment entitled "Au 
Nom de Toutes les Femmes" (On Behalf of All Women). In opening 
remarks, PAO Rhonda J. Watson noted that this film was chosen to 
raise public awareness on sexual harassment in secondary schools and 
in the work place in accordance with the theme for International 
Women's Day 2009, "Women and Men United Against Violence to Women 
and Girls." 
 
The guests expressed their appreciation for this initiative in 
presenting the film and voiced their interest in securing copies of 
the film that they could show in other venues. According to the 
National Coordinator of the EMPOWER project, five female attorneys 
belonging to the association of the women attorneys of Benin have 
volunteered to assist victims of sexual harassment free of charge. 
 
¶6.  NON-USG SOURCES OF IN-COUNTRY FUNDING/IN KIND SUPPORT: 
The participation of a local speaker, Dr. David Houeto, Alumni, and 
officials such as Clotilde Medegan, the former President of the High 
Court of Justice; Jeronime MONGBO, the Coordinator of the Empower 
Project at Care International, and other guests like faculty members 
of the University of Abomey-Calavi brought vivid experience to the 
discussion. 
 
¶7.  QUALITY OF USG SUPPORT: Excellent. Kudos to Dennis Pierce, from 
the Department of Justice, for sharing his experience in women 
empowerment programs in Benin. His experience and knowledge of the 
subject were highly appreciated. 
 
BROWN