At the 2016 CCIH Annual Conference, Reverend Cesar Ahouantchede of Espoir de la Famille in Benin explains how the organization works with religious leader in Benin to increase family planning use.

1. PROMOTING REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH/FAMILY PLANNING :
Religious leaders pledge : Case of OUEME region in
Republic of BENIN
Presented by Rev César AHOUANTCHEDE
Executive Director of the NGO Espoir de la Famille (Family Hope)
Tel : (229) 97 44 82 71/ 97 08 85 44
E mail : espoir_delafamille@yahoo.fr
Web : www.espoirdelafamille.org

2. OUTLINE
 1- Introduction
 2- Inventory of fixtures
 3- Target of our work
 4- Policies of Family hope to change religious leaders’ mind
 5- Key results
 6- lessons learnt
 7-Conclusion

3. 1- INTRODUCTION
 Republic of Benin is a developing country situated in
west Africa, its surface is 114, 763 Km2 with a
population of 10, 321, 000 inhabitants
 Republic of Benin has 12 regions .This presentation
focus on the region of Oueme . Located in south east
Benin

4. According to the demographic and Health survey
report of Benin in 2013, Benin has high maternal
mortality rate :397 per 100,000 live births,
Neonatal mortality :23 per 100,000
Infant mortality :42 per 100,000 .
The index of synthetic fertility is estimated at 5.7
children per woman in 2013, reflecting a high level
of fertility

5. STATE OF THE PLACE AT THE BEGNING
The use of contraceptives in the country is low : 8.7 %
in 2013
While the unmet need for Family Planning is estimated
at 31% among women of reproductive age

6.  Benin is committed to follow Ouagadougou conference
and Sally-Mbour to raise the contraceptive prevalence
rate to 20% by 2018 against 8.7 % in 2013
 Achieving this objective requires the contribution of all
social actors including faith based communities

7. Therefore the issues related to RH/FP encounter
great obstacles in churches.
Almost all Christian leaders believe that the FP is an
affront to God's law which prescribes the human
multiplication.
Therefore church is not equipped to inform and
educate its followers on the proper care of their
Reproductive Health/Family planning

8. So many officials continue to oppose the use of
contraceptive modern methods for the simple reason
that it would constitute a contrary practice to the
divine will.
While some couples / young people are desperately
continuing having unwanted pregnancies, they are
exposed to poverty and mortality.

9. TARGET OF OUR WORK
- Bishops
- Apostles
- Prophets
- Pastors
- women leaders and men
leaders in Churches
- Adolescents / youth in
Churches

10. POLICIES OF FAMILY HOPE TO CHANGE
RELIGIOUS LEADER’S MINDS
Realization of advocacy
sessions for 90 religious
leaders (Bishops,
Apostles , prophets and
reverends) for a
Christian response for
RH/FP promotion

11. Training of 231 peer
educators (women
leaders, men leaders and
adolescents / young
people in churches)
to inform, educate and
senzitize their peers on
RH / FP and it benefits

12.  Organization of 3600 informations, educations and
sensitizations sessions by peer educators at the place of
men and women of childbearing age and adolescents /
Youth on the FP and it benefits
 Production of monthly radio broadcasts in local
languages ​​on the RH / FP using biblical principles
 Referencing of 12000 women willing to adopt FP modern
methods to health centers

13. KEY RESULTS
 03 advocacy sessions for the benefit of 90 responsibles
(Bishops,Apostles, Prophets, Reverends ) of the
Association of Evangelical Churches of Benin, are
conducted
 A statement on the promotion of RH / FP toward
church members was developed, harmonized and
adopted by the participants

14. 90 women leaders from 15
to 49 of age, are trained
as peer educators, on the
RH / FP and it benefits

15.  58 men leaders from 24 to 49
years of age are trained as peer
educators on RH / FP and it
benefits
 183 adolescents/ youth from 15
to 24 years of age are trained on
Reproductive Health and STD /
HIV / AIDS

16. Pastors on the basis of the statement, use at least
15 minutes during their sermons to inform,
educate and sensitize their witnesses on RH / FP
and it benefits, on the base of biblical principles

17.  1589 educational sessions performed in churches on the
promotion of RH / FP and the fight against STD / HIV / AIDS
are conducted
 12568 women from 15 to 49 years of age were sensitized in
churches
 9742 men from 24 to 49 years of age were sensitized in
churches

18.  6781 women from 15 to 49 years of age were referred
to health centers for counselling and the adoption of
modern FP methods
 12 radio broadcast sessions in local languages were
realised to inform educate and senzitize communities
 About 60000 members of different communities were
informed, educated on FP and it benefits on the radio

19. LESSONS LEARNT
No religious leaders are against family planning but
it is the lack or shortage of information on FP which
creats various reticences
When religious leaders are well informed, they are
involved in the sharing of the information

20.  Education on RH/FP enable women to make decisions
in choosing and when to have a child.It helps prevent
unwanted pregnancies , maternal and neonatal
mortality

21. Advocacy is essential to raise awareness of religious
leaders on community health problems and breaking
the harmful religious barriers to FP
Implementation of the program has allowed many
couples and families to realize assets RH/FP based
for birth spacing and reducing poverty , and pledge
for hope

22. CONCLUSION
Faith-based organizations play a major role in
the global health system
It is essential to build the capacity of religious
leaders so that they are well lit, and play their
role of guarantors of the health and social well
being of their communities

23. MANY THANKS
FOR YOUR KIND ATTENTION