Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09COTONOU82
2009-03-06 08:36:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Cotonou
Cable title:  

BENIN: GPRA Report-WOMEN'S MONTH Programming

Tags:  KIRC OEXC KPAO KISL SCUL BN 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO1973
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHCO #0082 0650836
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 060836Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY COTONOU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0803
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1409
RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS COTONOU 000082 

PARIS FOR ARS (DWINTON)
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/PD (ANYASO, TITUS, LISENBY),AF/W (ACOOK)
DEPARTMENT FOR USAID
DEPARTMENT PASS TO DOJ FOR ICITAP and OPDAT

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KIRC OEXC KPAO KISL SCUL BN
SUBJECT: BENIN: GPRA Report-WOMEN'S MONTH Programming

UNCLAS COTONOU 000082

PARIS FOR ARS (DWINTON)
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/PD (ANYASO, TITUS, LISENBY),AF/W (ACOOK)
DEPARTMENT FOR USAID
DEPARTMENT PASS TO DOJ FOR ICITAP and OPDAT

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KIRC OEXC KPAO KISL SCUL BN
SUBJECT: BENIN: GPRA Report-WOMEN'S MONTH Programming


1. DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITY: The American Cultural Center in Benin
hosted the showing of the film dealing with sexual harassment
entitled "Au nom de toutes les femmes" (On Behalf of All Women). In
her opening remarks before the viewing, PAO Rhonda J. Watson briefed
the audience about the origins of the women's month celebration and
noted that the theme for International Women's Day 2009 is "Women
and Men United Against Violence to Women and Girls." This
USAID-funded and locally produced film was selected for viewing in
order to bring attention to this issue and to sensitize the local
population and to raise public awareness on sexual harassment in
secondary schools and in the work place.


2. DATE OF ACTIVITY: March 5; Second quarter, FY 09.


3. PROGRAM JUSTIFICATION/OBJECTIVES: Post showed this film as part
of its Women's Month programming and to raise awareness about the
legal sanctions against sexual harassment, which is a serious
problem in Benin.


4. MPP UMBRELLA THEMES AND AUDIENCE REACHED: Promotion of Democracy
and Human Rights: The film attracted at least one hundred guests
including the former President of the High Court of Justice, former
Ministers, government officials, members of the diplomatic
community, faculty members, High School students, NGO leaders and
journalists. At least fifteen media outlets including two TV
stations, two radio stations and eight print media covered this
event.


5. RESULT/IMPACT: Excellent. The guests expressed their appreciation
for the Cultural Center's initiative in presenting the film and
voiced their interest in securing copies of the film that they could
show, themselves, in other venues. In discussions after the viewing,
the local Coordinator of the EMPOWER project commented that the film
was produced in August 2007 and that the objective of the film is to
publicize the 2006 passage of a law criminalizing sexual harassment
in order to help eradicate this problem in Benin. She noted that
offenders are liable to receive punishment of up to two-years in
prison. According to the National Coordinator of the EMPOWER
project, five female attorneys belonging to the association of the
women attorneys of Benin have volunteered to assist victims of
sexual harassment free of charge. In contributing to the
discussions, the female Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University
of Abomey-Calavi suggested that this film should be shown to female
students on the University campus and in the other institutions of
learning. The viewers seized the opportunity to renew their
commitment to fighting sexual harassment. The PAO agreed to secure
additional copies of the DVD to make available to interested NGOs.


6. NON-USG SOURCES OF IN-COUNTRY FUNDING/IN KIND SUPPORT: None.


7. QUALITY OF USG SUPPORT: Excellent. Kudos to the Women's Justice
and Empowerment Initiative representative, Dennis Pierce, who
attended the showing and explained the efforts that the USG is
making to train Beninese police in how to investigate these crimes
as well as efforts to improve the legal system to address problems
associated with prosecutions for sexual harassment and violence
against women. Pierce also explained that the U.S. government,
through USAID, is funding and providing oversight of the EMPOWER
program, which is sensitizing the population to the issue of
violence against women as well as providing services to victims of
gender-based violence.

Brown