Project profile — Promoting Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in Benin

• Benin (100.00%)

• Reproductive health care:
Reproductive health care (13020) (50.00%)
Family planning (13030) (20.00%)
STD control including HIV/AIDS (13040) (10.00%)
Personnel development for population and reproductive health (13081) (20.00%)

• Gender equality (principal objective)
• Environmental sustainability (cross-cutting) (not targeted)
• Participatory development and good governance (not targeted)
• Trade development (not targeted)
• Biodiversity (not targeted)
• Climate change mitigation (not targeted)
• Climate Change Adaptation (not targeted)
• Urban issues (not targeted)
• Desertification (not targeted)
• Children's issues (not targeted)
• Youth Issues (principal objective)
• Indigenous Issues (not targeted)
• Disability (not targeted)
• ICT as a tool for development (not targeted)

This project aims to reduce maternal mortality, gender-based violence and the incidence of HIV/AIDS in the Beninese population through the promotion of human rights in sexual and reproductive health. Canada is participating in the funding for this project through a delegated cooperation mechanism with the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Canada’s contribution supports a greater well-being in sexual and reproductive health of the population in the 12 sanitary zones targeted by this project, prioritizing adolescent girls. Project activities include: (1) providing comprehensive sexual education for girls and boys; (2) raising awareness among communities about socio-cultural barriers to sexual and reproductive health and related rights; and (3) strengthening basic services in the area of reproductive health services, including appropriate services for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex community, and improved availability of contraceptive products. The project is implemented by a consortium of three local organizations active in the field of sexual and reproductive health and rights: the Association béninoise pour le marketing social et la communication pour la santé, the Association béninoise pour la promotion de la famille and CARE Bénin.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) young girls and boys, as well as women and men in project intervention areas enjoy their right to reproductive health; (2) young girls and boys in project intervention areas enjoy their sexual rights; and (3) the multi-sectoral coordinating mechanism for reproductive health of adolescents and young people is more effective.

Results achieved as of the end of the project (December 2021) include: (1) 1,331,841 individuals received at least one sexual and reproductive health service; (2) 356 434 women and girls adopted a new method of family planning, of which 165,401 are between ages 15-24, including intrauterine devices, pills, implants, and injectables;(3) 210 470 in-school youth (104 270 boys and 106 200 girls) and1,009,369 out-of-school youth (420 722 boys and 588 647 girls) aged 10-24 received comprehensive sexual education; (4) Reached 17,018 women with post abortion care in its health care facilities, of which almost 50% between the ages of 15-24; (5) reached 161 632 youth with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) screening and counselling services, and over 138 000 received their HIV test results; (6) reached 2 777 041 individuals by positive messages on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) through traditional and social media platforms; and (7) 1,720 individuals identified as part of key populations, including men who have sex with men, injection drug users and sex workers, received a minimum package of SRHR services adapted to their needs.

• Proactive disclosure