Benin – Early Marriage of Girls: Government Launches a National Program to Combat the Practice

The Beninese government has declared war on child marriage. During the Council of Ministers session held on Wednesday, September 3, the executive approved the establishment of a National Program to Combat Child Marriage.

According to the Council’s report, early marriage poses a real threat to the future of young girls and adolescents, with multiple consequences.

Despite state efforts, this harmful practice continues in some areas. The government therefore stressed the urgency of reinforcing existing measures to better protect children at risk.

To this end, it adopted the National Program to Combat Child Marriage, which aims to reduce the prevalence of child marriage in Benin from 33% in 2019 to 15% by 2029 — an 18-point decrease over the next four years. The goal is to ensure that children, particularly girls, are protected from early marriage and teenage pregnancies.

The program will focus on strengthening protection and care mechanisms in the fight against child marriage, while also mobilizing communities, families, and children themselves to take part in the effort.