The National Monitoring and Evaluation unit for protection activities for the Child has been set up and is housed at the Ministry for Family Affairs. To better protect women and children, the Beninese State reinforced the portfolio of the ministerial department responsible for family affairs by establishing, pursuant to decree no 2006-178 of 8th April 2006 concerning the composition of the Government, a Ministry for Family, Women and Children’s Affairs headed by a woman. A Junior Minister responsible for micro finance and the promotion of small and medium sized companies and youth and women’s employment at the Ministry of Development, Economy and Finance was also created and entrusted to a Lady. 7- Elimination of discrimination based on sex, religion, language or social standing The State strives to guarantee equality for all citizens in conformity with the provisions of articles 8 to 26, paragraph one of the Constitution. This protection is supported by the specific laws which enshrine, in Benin, : • equal access to employment and elimination of all other forms of discrimination (articles 2, 4 and 5, 167,142, et 143, 208) of act n°98-004 of 27 January 1998 on the Labour Code of the Republic of Benin. • Equal treatment for all civil servants on the same grade and with equal skills. Act n°86-013 of 26 February 1986 on the Status of Permanent State Employees amended by act n°89-006 of 12th April 1989, has made provisions for all categories of civil servants to earn equal salary for equal work. This law is still in force. Special statuses also offer the same guaranties. These include among others, Act n° 2001-35 of 21st February - 19 -