From March 6th to 8th, 2009, was organized in Lokossa, Bénin an advocacy workshop for the group of children and youth that are piloting the VAC project in Benin. The members of the CDED and some members of the CCDED participated in the workshop. It was facilitated during the 3 days by Mrs Koudoh of Plan WARO and M. Michel Kanhonou of Plan Benin.

The workshop helped participants understand the concept and tools of advocacy and how to apply them directly to the VAC project. This project is one constituent Plan’s “Learn without fear” in the world.
Participants identified different forms of violence that affect children in their communities, work settings, home and family, in schools and in care and justice system.

Thanks to the tools such the power flower, the problem tree to analyse causes and consequences the issues of VAC, the identification of the advocacy targets… participants developed their action plan that they are going to implement with their peers.

At the end of the workshop, some participants gave their impressions:

«During the 3 days, I learned the rights and duties of children, some tools to fight against violence". Thalès

«I am very happy with this training because it gives us a lot to be able to fight against cases of violence that are common in our communities". Zita