63 The Children's Parliament of Benin, was set up in 2003 with the support of UNICEF and Plan-Benin but no longer exists. It was challenged by children's associations for its non-representativeness. 64 - The Advisory Council is filling the gap and is working to ensure: The participation of children in studies, planning, research, evaluation and the consideration of their views during workshops for the presentation of the results of studies, researches and evaluations or during brainstorming workshops on children; - The involvement of children in the monitoring of Plan Benin's interventions within Project Management Committees of which they are ex-officio members; - Children's participation in mid-term evaluations as preferred targets and consideration of their views during the validation of results; - The promotion of several children's structures like (CVED, media clubs, sketch groups, children's governments, school committees); - The participation in projects to fight violence against children (use of frontline SMS, etc.); - The advocacy with the authorities timely issuance of birth certificates and the reduction of the costs related thereto; - The reporting of abuses against their peers to relevant authorities and sensitizing parents through their intervention on the use of impregnated mosquito nets; - The building of child capacities through education on plant and animal production in schools; 65 Finally, the principle of the right to participation is also expressly enshrined in Article 9 of Law No. 2015-08 on Children's Code in the Republic of Benin, which provides that: "In any judicial or administrative proceedings concerning a child, its views and opinion shall be heard, either directly or through a representative or by any other process determined by the competent authority and may be taken into account by the relevant authority ". 66 It is in such a context that the celebration of the African Child's Day in 2009 and 2011 allowed selected children in all departments of Benin to directly ask questions to governments, civil society organizations and opinion leaders. They also questioned the Head of State at that time President-in-office of the African Union on their major concern. V. CIVIL RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS: 67 The charter entrusts the States Parties with the obligation to apply without limit the various rights enshrined in Article 1 of the ACRWC. 68 It is therefore required from the State to guarantee the various rights specific to the child, including those relating to its legal status, its civil status; namely its right to a name, home, nationality and to the protection of its identity. These rights are necessary for its legal identification and for its participation in social life and legal trading. 69

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