Women History Month 2009 Celebration

Book Discussion on the book "Empowerment and Poverty Reduction"

Post held a series of program activities on March 5, 2009 to launch Women’s History Month.  The day’s activities included a book discussion, an exhibit of art works by female artists and the screening of a film about sexual harassment.
80 participants, including former President of the High Court of Justice, lawyers, faculty members of the University of Abomey-Calavi, journalists, NGO members, officials from other Diplomatic Missions, Mission staff, and other interested guests attended the event that was covered by all major media outlets including TV, radio and print media..
After giving background information about Women’s History Month and the Mission’s interest in promoting women’s development, PAO Rhonda J. Watson introduced the facilitator of the book discussion, Dr. David Houeto.  The ARS Nouveaux Horizons book under discussion, titled “Autonomisation et réduction de la pauvreté: outils et solutions pratiques” (Empowerment and Poverty Reduction: A Sourcebook), dealt with institutional reforms required to foster development.
Emphasizing the concept of “Empowerment” as it has implications for bolstering democracy, combating corruption and promoting economic growth, Dr. Houeto’s presentation focused on the links between empowerment, local governance, access to justice and legal aid and market development. Throughout his presentation, Dr. Houeto emphasized that to achieve sustainability in development programs, experts and donor agencies need to change principles of development aid by adopting the mindset of partnership with local populations to incorporate indigenous knowledge, skills and values.

Art Exhibit

Following the book discussion, the American Cultural Center (ACC) hosted an art exhibit by three female Beninese artists to promote women in the arts. At the opening session of the Art Exhibit, Cultural Affairs Assistant Osseni introduced the artists: Sister Henriette Marie Goussikindey, Rebecca Odjo-Favi and Nelly Denakpo.
Nelly Denakpo, one of the artists, is also the President of a local youth association.  Her work features the Amazons, a female military regiment of the Kingdom of Danxome (now Benin) who were successfully used by King Agadja in defeating the neighboring kingdom of Savi in 1727. These female warriors were used for a hundred years and gained a fierce reputation as brave and fearless warriors.  Nelly Denakpo also produced a documentary on the same subject that was launched on March 7 and projected at the American Cultural center on March 20, 2009.

Film “Au nom de toutes les femmes”

To conclude the day’s activities, the American Cultural Center hosted the showing of the film dealing with sexual harassment entitled “Au nom de toutes les femmes” (On Behalf of All Women). In her introductory remarks before the viewing, PAO Rhonda J. Watson briefed the audience about the theme for International Women’s Day 2009 which 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.   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.