Supporting vulnerable children and young people in Cotonou, Benin, against violence and mistreatment in the slum.
Cotonou is home to the Dantokpa open-air market, the largest of its kind in both Benin and West Africa. Over 50% of the city’s population live in slums, and many of them reside in and around Dantokpa. Here, poverty, social exclusion, and high levels of violence and crime mean that especially girls and young women are exposed to assault, mistreatment, and abuse in public spaces. Furthermore, many homeless girls are forced into prostitution, and experience gender-based violence and sexual harassment when working in the informal market. The long-term psycho-social reactions to violence and lack of safety are particularly disempowering for girls and young women. Moreover, very few can exercise their rights due to a lack of both knowledge of and trust in the justice system.
The project, SIC4G, seeks to protect the most vulnerable people in the informal residential areas and public spaces in and around Dantokpa market, ensure that they are protected from violence, abuse and mistreatment, and that they feel included socially and receive necessary rehabilitation and legal assistance. As such, the project aims to ensure that girls, aged 10 to 18, in the Cotonou slums live in safe and inclusive communities with access to safe local public spaces, as well as psycho-social support and legal advice.
SIC4G is funded by Danmarks Indsamling 2019 and spans from August 2019 to March 2022.
Impact:
Since the start of the project, vulnerable children and adolescents have been supported through activities such as psycho-social support, health care, legal support, references to specialized help, and capacity building in youth advocacy. Furthermore, young people are implementing initiatives to increase safety in and around Dantokpa market, and to create a Safe Space to facilitate continued psycho-social support and health services.
