Day of the African Child 2025: Cotonou at the heart of planning and financing children’s rights
The Baobab room at the Novotel in Cotonou was the setting for the official celebration of the 35th edition of the Day of the African Child (JEA), an annual event instituted in memory of the children of Soweto, victims of the bloody repression of 16 June 1976. Celebrated at the continental level, this day brought together in Cotonou a wide range of actors involved in the defense of children’s rights around the central theme “planning and budgeting for children’s rights: progress since 2010”.
The event, organized under the auspices of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Microfinance with the support of its partners, mobilized representatives from youth organizations, religious leaders, government members, local elected officials, as well as technical and financial partners such as UNICEF and the United Nations system. The opening of the ceremony was marked by a brief review of progress in child protection in Benin followed by the screening of a magazine on the 3PIER project which aims at social reintegration of street children.
A forum to measure progress…
The UN Resident Coordinator in Benin, Aminatou SAR, praised the government’s efforts while calling for continued focus on investment in key sectors such as education, health and child protection.
For her, “ambitions must now be translated concretely on the ground “, in line with the Benin Vision 2060. On behalf of the government, the Minister of Social Affairs and Microfinance, Véronique TOGNIFODÉ, presented a detailed report on the actions carried out since 2010.
Several figures illustrate the notable progress such as child labor which has drastically decreased and the health budget dedicated to childhood that almost doubled, reaching 150 billion CFA francs, against 87 billion previously.
These efforts, according to the minister, have been possible thanks to sustained coordination with international partners, in particular UNICEF, which supports Benin in the design and implementation of public policies focused on children.
Always present challenges…
Despite this positive assessment, everyone agrees that many challenges persist. With a view to continuous improvement, participants stressed the importance of strengthening the results-based approach. Planning must be based on reliable data and budgeting must be participatory to take into account the real needs expressed by children themselves, their families and communities.
A dynamic to be consolidated…
The Day of the African Child 2025 mainly served as a platform for accountability, strategic reflection, and collective mobilization. Progress is tangible. However, territorial inequalities, the persistence of ill-treatment and precariousness remain major obstacles to the development of all children in Benin.
The Day of the African Child 2025 also reminded us that numbers alone are not enough. Only sustainable action on the ground, backed by rigorous and transparent funding, will make it possible to turn promises into realities for every child, without distinction.