Inclusive education and vocational training for people with disabilities : Faphb and Handicap International for improving orders

The Federation of Associations of Disabled People of Benin (Faphb) in collaboration with Handicap International organizes 3 at 5 October 2023, in Grand Popo, a workshop for the improvement and inclusion of orders relating to admission conditions for Cep exams, Bepc and national competitions. This, following the adoption of the implementing texts of law n°2017-06 of 29 September 2017 protecting and promoting the rights of persons with disabilities in the Republic of Benin.

“Inclusive education and professional training project”. It is this project that brings together in Grand-Popo, around a workshop, and for three days, specialists and stakeholders in order to seek solutions to be able to trivialize the disability which is not a burden but rather obstacles because of looks and barriers. A workshop which also follows the adoption of the implementing texts of law n°2017-06 of 29 September 2017 protecting and promoting the rights of persons with disabilities in the Republic of Benin, via decrees relating in particular to the creation, attributions, composition and functioning of the Interministerial Commission for the implementation of measures for the inclusion of people with disabilities and special measures to promote employment and entrepreneurship for people with disabilities.

"Today, the State took the measure of things by advancing us, and by moving the country forward in terms of inclusion in the sub-region. The Beninese State in the cause of disabled people is evolving. The decrees are taken and we are working so that there are decrees and then, the effective enjoyment of these rights”, says Nassirou Domingo, president of the Faphb. “We organized this workshop, while inviting specialists in the field so that at the end, They carry with us this plea so that it can be done”, he added. For the president of the Faphb, it is not a favor that they are asking for but fairness. “It’s a question of fairness to the extent that we are evaluated in the same way as others and we want to work with others and at the same time as others”, he emphasizes.

For Ghislain Donald Adandé, agent at Handicap International on the inclusive education and professional training project, this project not only supports the Faphb to be able to carry out advocacy in order to get the authorities to take ownership and deploy inclusive policies and strategies but also, will support the authorities in truly allowing disabled people to benefit more from their rights.

In his words, the Director of Social Inclusion and Solidarity at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Microfinance, Boubacal Bani Yéro Samou indicated that civil society actors have made the option of touching on the aspects which can disturb, in particular, the access of disabled children to the various exams and competitions.. For him, it is therefore necessary to make adjustments in the sense of adapting the nature of the tests, the conditions and space to allow these children to enjoy their right. “Public services will have the time necessary to take into account why not, and to put them into practice for the happiness of our children”, did he know.

Patrice ADJAHO