CHAPTER THREE: DEMOCRACY AND POLITICAL GOVERNANCE __________________________________________________________________________ The lack of supervision of these children has led many parents to withdraw their girls from school for fear that they become pregnant. 313. Faced with a very high population growth (see Chapter Four on economic governance and management) and a difficult socioeconomic environment, many children continue to be deprived of education, and the girls are worse off than the boys. Their living conditions are determined by those of their parents and anyone responsible for their upkeep. Thus, despite the laws in force, many parents are compelled to make their children work at an early age in order to survive. They expose these children to physical and moral danger. “A large number of children still work in cotton plantations, handle pesticides and insecticides, and are obliged to work in the fishing sector, work on heaps of refuse in search of scraps, cans and bottles. On cotton plantations in the hinterland (Banikoara), children are exposed to insect bites, chemicals and dehydration products. Many of them suffer from respiratory disorders. Other children have back problems from carrying heavy loads in the markets of the cities of Benin, particularly Dantokpa, Malanville, Ouando, Bohicon, Savalou, and others.20” Those who peddle at road intersections in the major cities are exposed to all sorts of abuses, such indecent proposals to girls, sexual fondling, rape, abductions, road accidents, and others. 314. Children in apprenticeships are not effectively protected despite the laws in force. They work in inhumane conditions, are exploited economically and are often victims of violence which, incidentally, appears to be a common phenomenon in Benin. Children are also victims of trafficking. Despite the measures taken by the government, Benin continues to be the hub of child trafficking in West Africa. It is a country of origin, of destination and of transit21. Box 3.11: Combating child trafficking in Benin Child trafficking is a topical issue in Benin today. The fight for its eradication concerns the authorities, international organisations as well as national and international NGOs working in the area of human rights. Child trafficking has serious consequences for children. Its effects on the physical, moral and psychological health of children, their families, and the society are multiple, diverse and destructive. In general, the children lose opportunities for education and vocational training, and their chances of equitable access to employment are reduced. This lack of education reduces their chances of survival, now and for the future. It also influences their capacity to participate in national life and to take family and work-related decisions. The pitfalls facing the children sent to foreign countries (cross-border trafficking) or to other regions of the same country, and the situations into which they are plunged, are new forms of slavery unacceptable to humanity. The number of children who are victims of trafficking has not been established officially. It varies from one source to another since definitions of what is meant by child trafficking vary. According to the ILO, the number is 161,428, while UNICEF officials estimate it to be around 20 See the site developpementbenin.org/traficenfant.php for more about trafficking, placement and the work of children. 21 The Protection Project. March 2002. A human rights report on trafficking of persons, especially women and children. A country-by-country report on a contemporary form of slavery. Page 61. 122