Benin report - Institut Africain de la Gouvernance

CHAPTER SIX: SOCIOECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT__________________________________________________________________________performance of the national health system; and improving access to qualitybasic education about environmental protection measures. In these areas themost pressing challenges to SED in Benin are:To reduce the high maternal and neonatal mortality rates in order toachieve the MDGs. Poverty is widespread. Therefore, access to health careis more of a problem in terms of economic affordability than because ofgeographical issues.To improve access to quality basic education in order to increase theprimary school enrolment rate to 96% by 2008, and to improve the qualityof basic education.738. Employment is a major concern. Unfortunately, its profile is still not wellknown so that effective measures to assist youth and women – the mainvictims of unemployment – could not be taken. This phenomenon constitutesanother challenge to SED in Benin.739. The situation of women deserves particular attention, despite attempts toincrease their participation in political life since the National SovereignConference of 1990. Restoring balance in this regard remains a majorchallenge for SED in Benin.740. Environmental protection is threatened by the fact that firewood is still themost common source of energy, both in rural and urban areas. The use of newsources is hampered by cultural reluctance and economic constraints.741. Reducing regional imbalances is another of the major challenges which haveto be addressed in order to accelerate growth and reduce poverty. Regionaldisparities need to be considered so that greater territorial equity in thedistribution of social and economic benefits can be assured. The environmentalso needs to be protected to guarantee the sustainability of natural resources.6.2 Ratification and implementation of standards and codesi. Summary of the CSAR742. The CSAR affirms that Benin has subscribed to the following internationalconventions, although there is no proof and dates are not given:The Universal Declaration on Human Rights, of December 1948.The African Charter on Human and People‟s Rights, of January 1986.The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, of August1990.The United Nations CEDAW, of March 1992.244