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Finally, Benin is also a party to the United Nations Convention on the Protection of
People with Disabilities.
The new above-mentioned Child Code recognizes to children with disabilities a legal
statute of protection in its Articles 175 to 178.
Furthermore, the newly built infrastructures in universities and courts take these
standards into account.
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Institutional Measures for children with disabilities:
The protection of children with disabilities is expressly addressed by the Ministry in
charge of the Family, Social Affairs, people with disabilities and elders.
In fact, this Ministry shelters the specialized directorate for the protection of people
with disabilities: the Directorate for Rehabilitation and Reintegration of People with
Disabilities (DRIPH) on which are related the following services:
Social Promotion Center for Blind People (CPSA) of Segbeya,
Social Promotion Center for Blind People (CPSA) of Parakou,
Vocational Training Center for People with Disabilities (CFPPH) of Parakou;
Vocational Training Center for People with Disabilities (CFPPH) of Peporiayakou;
Community-based Rehabilitation National Program (PNRBC);
Support Fund for the Rehabilitation of People with Disabilities (FARIPH).
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Programmatic Measures:
The protection of people with disabilities is addressed in various social policy
documents, but the Community-based Rehabilitation Program is special for the
protection of people with disabilities.
It has been initiated since 1989 to provide specific care to disabled people.
Every year, 600 disabled people benefit from the program on the whole national
territory.
The provided care consists in teaching rehabilitation skills to people with disabilities
and the provision of adequate means to increase disabled people's autonomy and
facilitate their social reintegration.
Benin has experienced the Integrated School from 1997-1999 in collaboration with
the Federation of Associations for People with Disabilities (FAPH) and the Integrated
Private School, Les Hibiscus. Other non-national programs have been implemented,
in the Zou region notably to promote and facilitate the schooling of people with
disabilities in the ordinary school system. Those programs should expand all over the
Beninese territory with the collaboration of many NGOs, the Community-based
Rehabilitation National Program and technical and financial partners such as
DANIDA.
Civil Society Organizations (such as the NGO Handicap International), in
collaboration with Equilibre Benin, help any person in vulnerable situation, whatever
the origins of deficiencies (congenital or prenatal problems, diseases, accidents,
physical or traumatological violence, malnutrition) and whatever their nature (physical,
sensory or intellectual).
In the same area, the State also benefits from the support of development partners
such as the World Health Organization (WHO).
Apart from the customized services provided to people with disabilities, the impact of
this synergy of action is also evidenced by the building of five (5) specialized schools
for the deaf and hearing impaired with a total capacity of 300 students for all primary
classrooms. There are also four places for juniors with a total capacity of 250 places
in all primary and secondary classrooms.