Benin: A safe learning environment for apprentices in workshops

Despite the clear legal situation, child labour is still widespread in Benin. Studies from 2021-2022 have shown that 27.5% of children aged 5-17 have to do the heaviest work that is not appropriate for their age. They find themselves in dangerous situations and receive hardly any pay. Here they are exposed to different weather conditions and very long working hours under harsh conditions.

Apprentices are also affected by economic exploitation/exploitative working conditions. They are often handed over by their parents to a workshop manager with the best of intentions at an early age, in the hope of giving their children the foundation for a better future. In reality, however, these “apprentices” are often economically exploited by them, sometimes under dangerous conditions. It is not uncommon for apprentices to have to work in these workshops for up to 10 years before they are allowed to take their journeyman's examination. They have no basic education, are malnourished and often experience (sexual) violence.

As this often takes place behind closed walls, this phenomenon goes unnoticed by society. Furthermore, the apprentices are at the mercy of the workshop managers in every respect, as they are under their care and have no access to help.

The project aims at providing apprentices with a safe environment that respects their basic rights. Decentralized state actors and mediators are involved in the project implementation and the civilian population is sensitized.

Overall objective: To improve the situation of 100 apprentices (boys and girls), with a focus on those whose basic rights are not respected in the vocational training centres.

Specific objectives:

1. The workshop managers become aware of the applicable laws and the penalties they face for non-compliance, make them their own, apply them and become multipliers among their colleagues.
2. The children concerned return to school (some are still too young for an apprenticeship) or to a supportive education that respects their rights and receive psychosocial support;
3. The parents become aware of the physical and psychological effects of child exploitation and adopt a positive parenting attitude. At least 1,500 other community members are sensitized to this issue.

• 100 trainees aged 6-17 years
• 50 parents
• 50 trainers and 500 colleagues
• 10 state representatives
• 1,500 members of the civilian population

• Assessment of the situation of apprentices in workshops in collaboration with various civil society organizations
• Creation of training and awareness-raising materials on the topics of child labour, children's rights and the associated legal texts
• 3-day training of 50 workshop managers on the legal texts and the framework conditions for dealing with apprentices as well as 2-day training of the 50 workshop managers as multipliers on the topics
• Identification and support of 100 apprentices from workshops to improve their framework conditions during training
• Identification of 10 apprentices for the participatory development of a publication on the topic of child labour and framework conditions
• Participation of the 10 apprentices in radio programs on the topics of child labour, apprenticeship, exploitation
• Identification of 50 apprentices who are in an exploitative situation, reintegration of these into other training workshops or schools
• Identification of 50 parents of apprentices who have been taken out of an exploitative situation

Cover picture: Minors shall be better protected from (economic and sexual) exploitation in workshops and training centers. © ESGB