Youth Empowerment for Sexual and Reproductive

Health and Rights access (YES)

For a new business model of young women and men

empowerment and resilience

With the technical support of

1
Table of contents

Project summary 3
I. 6
1.1. Context 6
1.2. Youth‐faced challenges 7
1.2.1 Health in matters of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) 7
1.2.2 Vulnerability: addiction, COVID19 8
1.2.3 Poverty and unemployment 9
1.2.4 Security crisis in borderlands 10
1.2.5 Specific challenges faced by youth (women) in rural areas 10
1.3. Governmental and technical and financial partners’ interventions 11
1.3.1 Governmental and technical and financial partners’ interventions 11
1.3.2 UNFPA efforts in support to the Government 13
II. 15
2.1. Logic of intervention 15
2.2. Project goal, components, outcomes and activities 16
2.2.1. Project overall Goal 16
2.2.2. Project components and outcomes 16
2.2.3. Project outputs and activities 16
2.3. Key implementing strategies 19
2.4. Beneficiaries and implementing areas 21
2.5. Project implementation, monitoring and evaluation 22
2.5.1. Project implementation 22
2.5.2. Monitoring and reporting 22
2.5.3. Evaluation 23
2.6. Risks analysis and management 23
2.7. Project management modalities 24
2.8. Sustainability and strategies 25
2.9. Communication 26
2.10. Budget 26
III. 27
3.1. Results framework 27
3.2. Risks management 35

2
Project summary
The project covers four interrelated components that primarily target adolescents, young girls and boys,
and women, who are the most vulnerable to development inequalities and the most exposed to the
consequences of conflict in community settings, while at the same time being key actors for social and
economic transformation and resilience to external shocks.

Title Youth Empowerment for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights
access (YES)

Organization United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)

receiving funding

Implementing
partners - Ministry of Sports (In charge of Youth)
- Ministry of Health
- Ministry of Secondary and Technical Education and Vocational
Training
- Local authorities (Prefecture, mayors, village chiefs)
- National and/or international organizations Care Benin Togo,
Educo, Guerra Tech Hub, ABPF,
- Sèmè City Development Agency (ADSC)
- Youth led organizations
- Health zones
- UNCDF (technical partner)

Beneficiaries Direct beneficiaries:

- 739 237 young girls, women and men, aged 15 to 24 of Alibori,
Atacora, Atlantic and Borgou departments receiving SRHR
information
- 221 771 young people have access to RH products and services
- 1000 young entrepreneurs’ capacities strengthened
- 150 young entrepreneurs have access to community based
financing mechanisms
- 300 youth leaders are empowered on gender equity, community
resilience and social inclusion
Indirect beneficiaries:
- Population of the 50 identified villages

Duty bearers Direct duty bearers:

- Ministerial authorities: Ministry of Sports (In charge of Youth),
Ministry of Health; Ministry of Secondary and Technical
Education and Vocational Training; Ministry of Social Affairs and
Microfinance, Ministry of Living Environment and Sustainable
Development, Ministry of Interior and Public Security
- Departmental and local authorities targeted

3
 - Customary leaders of the targeted areas/opinion leaders
- Management of targeted vocational training centers/schools
- Staff of targeted youth centers/vocational training schools and
health districts

Indirect homeworkers:
- Parents/Family
- Husbands of women
- Customary and religious leaders
- Microfinance institutions
- Youth Entrepreneurship Support Fund

The Youth Empowerment for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Right
access (YES) project is intended to be a new model of partnership and
engagement with youth that will contribute to the promotion of human
rights and to the progressive reduction of the impact of population
growth on youth resilience and engagement, and the environment
through inclusive, innovative and gender and culturally sensitive
initiatives aimed at empowering women, girls and youth. It will
contribute to:
a) Improving access of adolescents and youth to quality sexual and
reproductive health information and services through self‐care; b)
Strengthening the resilience and socio‐economic empowerment of
Project description
young girls, women and boys, c) Improving community development and
inclusiveness through strengthening the effective participation and
engagement of young people in decision‐making and development
mechanisms; and d) Strengthening governance mechanisms and support
systems at community and national levels.
It places at the center of its actions, the promotion of human rights
inherent to SRH/FP and empowerment in order to better protect social
groups that traditionally suffer from marginalization and discrimination
(women, youth and adolescents). The project also contributes to
implementing actions to capture the Youth Demographic Dividend.
The implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the project will be
guided by the principles of results‐based management and the human
rights‐based approach, including universality, accountability,
indivisibility and participation. An exit strategy is defined that integrates
sustainability aspects at all stages of the project.

Project goal Unlock the power and potential of young girls, women and men, from 15‐
24 years old to become powerful agents of change and transformation,
enabling their full autonomy for resilient communities in fifty (50) villages
from four (04) departments of Benin (Alibori, Atacora, Atlantic and
Borgou)

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Project purpose Provide a comprehensive set of skills in sexual and reproductive health,
economic empowerment; leadership and participation and support
institutional related ecosystem; to at least 739 237 young girls and boys of
four (04) departments (Alibori, Atacora, Atlantic and Borgou) of bordering
areas and exposed to external risks

Specific objectives 1. Improve access to quality sexual and reproductive health information
and services for adolescents and youth, particularly in all the
communes of the Alibori, Atacora, Atlantic and Borgou departments,
through "self‐care.
2. Strengthen the resilience and socio‐economic empowerment of young
boys, girls and women in the Alibori, Atacora, Atlantic and Borgou
departments, individually, in federations, unions, associations and
economic interest groups through the integration of RH/FP service
delivery, the promotion of entrepreneurship/employability,
environmental protection, conflict prevention and the fight against
GBV.
3. Improve community development in an inclusive manner by
strengthening the effective participation and involvement of youth in
decision‐making and development mechanisms.
4. Strengthen governance mechanisms, community and national level
leadership systems and partnerships to address youth resilience and
structural inequalities.

Project are of The project will cover the

intervention departments of Alibori, Atacora,
Atlantic and Borgou.

Total amount 4 750 000 euros

Duration Three years (2023‐2025)

Project contact Barbara LAURENCEAU : laurenceau@unfpa.org ;

Benoit LIBALI : libali@unfpa.org;
Dr Seydou BELEMVIRE : belemvire@unfpa.org.

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 I. Background and rationale

1.1. Context
As the United Nations took stock of its 75 years of achievements and priorities for the coming decade,
the COVID‐19 pandemic has made the collective journey to 2030 even more challenging. The megatrends
‐ in particular demographic shifts, rapid urbanization, the rise of technology, the threat of violent
extremism or climate change ‐ are shaping the present and the future. Despite the challenges posed by
these phenomena, each megatrend requires urgent actions or brings unique opportunities that if not
properly harnessed will leave lasting scars on multiple fronts, especially on the younger generations.

According to the International Labor Organization (ILO), the pandemic is disproportionately impacting
young people and can jeopardize their productive potential, in particular that of young women and girls.
It is not only jeopardizing their jobs and employment prospects but also disrupting their education and is
severely impacting their mental well‐being.1 In addition to the challenges that arise with a “new normal”,
the pandemic is compounding entrenched barriers for young people, particularly their exclusion from
prioritization and decision‐making processes, and mainstream financing and funding frameworks.
Unresponsive, unaccountable social and political institutions limit adolescents and youth Sexual and
Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), agency and decision‐making power over their bodies and lives.
As a result, countries lose out on untapped human capital that could be harnessed to achieve the SDGs
and to make the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) vision a reality for all.

Against this background, and in the face of anticipated future

shocks, building capacities of young people and strengthening
their resilience will be key to enduring and overcoming such
crises as well as the security crises, including the rise of violent
extremism, that are now emerging as the next threat to be
faced by Benin. The proposed framework positions the
realization of adolescents and youth SRHR as a foundation to
reducing young people’s vulnerability and maximizing human
capital potential through strengthened youth employability
and, ultimately, leading to sustainable development.

Located in West Africa, Benin has an estimated population of 12,861,152 people in 20202. Benin has a
rapid population growth with an annual rate of 3.5 percent. It is characterized by its youth: 66 percent
of the inhabitants are under the age of 25 and the female population represents 51.2 percent of the
total population. Covering an area of 114,764 km2 and stretches over 700 km2, the country is part of
Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and has as neighbors Togo to the west, Nigeria
to the east, Niger to the north‐northeast and Burkina Faso to the North‐North West.

1
International Labour Organization. Preventing exclusion from the labour market: Tackling the COVID‐19 youth
employment crisis. Available from https://www.ilo.org/emppolicy/pubs/WCMS_746031/lang‐‐en/index.htm.
2
Census bureau
6
 1.2. Youth‐faced challenges

1.2.1 Health in matters of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR)
The importance of youth as a labor force for the economy demands that the national health system
makes special arrangements to deal with them. Therefore, different conditions have been classified as
priorities to take into account their particular nuisance to the working population.

● Access of young people to sexual and reproductive health services

In 2020, the population of Benin is estimated at 12,861,152

with 4,215,839 young people aged 10 to 24, or about 33%
of the population. The number of young people aged 15‐24
in the project intervention area is 1,544,043 inhabitants
(National Statistics and Demography Institute, 2013).

According to the results of the 2017 Demographic and

Health Survey (DHS), the level of modern contraceptive
prevalence in Benin remains low. It is 5.6% among
adolescents aged 15‐19 years and 12.4% among young
women aged 20‐24. The unmet need for Family Planning
among adolescents aged 15‐19 is 14.9% compared to 29.6% among young women aged 19‐24.

In Benin, 20% of women aged 15‐19 have already started their reproductive life: 15% have already had
at least one live birth and 5% are pregnant with their first child (DHS, 2017‐2018). In the project
intervention area, the percentage of women aged 15‐19 who have started their reproductive life is 38%
in Alibori, 31,4% in Atacora, 27,5% in Borgou and 13,6% in Atlantic.

In Benin, 31.7% of girls were married before the legal marriage age of at least 18 (Multiple Indicator
Cluster Surveys 2014). Teenage / unwanted pregnancies among girls aged 15‐24 are a major contributor
to this high rate of maternal mortality. Physical and emotional immaturity exposes them to more
obstetric complications. Among girls under 20 who gave birth, 4% had a cesarean section (DHS, 2017‐
2018).

As in many African countries, girls who give birth before the age of 15 are 5 times more likely to die during
childbirth than women over 20. In 2020, a total of 106 maternal deaths were recorded among girls aged
10‐24 in the project intervention area against 39 among 39 among minors (MS / DHIS2).

● Gender Based Violence (GBV), including Female Genital Mutilations (FGM)

Routine data collected in 2021 shows that 12,148 women and girls were supported by GBV services in
Benin (4057 in Atacora, Borgou and Atlantic) including by the listening services of the Centers for Social
Promotion (CPS), present in the 77 municipalities of the country3.

Some key benchmarks indicate that achieving gender equity (SDG 5) remains a challenge. Indeed,
according to the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) carried out in 2014 in Benin, 59.6% of women

3
System for Integrated Data on Family, Women and Children ‐ New Generation (SIDOFFE‐NG), sidoffe‐
ng.social.gouv.bj
7
are illiterate against 43.9% of men, 41.2% of women live in polygamous families with all that has a clear
breach in their rights and dignity.

While in the country as a whole 11.5% of girls aged 15‐19 had already given birth to a living child, this
rate was 28.5% and 24.1% respectively to Alibori and Atacora; While globally, 9.7% of women / girls aged
15‐19 had already had two sexual partners, this rate is respectively 18.7% in Alibori and 21.7% in Atacora.

According to United Nations Population Fund (UNFA), in 2019, an estimated 4.1 million girls will undergo
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). This number of girls cut each year is projected to rise to 4.6 million girls
in the year 2030.

The World Health Organization reports that more than 200 million girls and women have suffered this
extreme violation of their rights.

Almost two in three women of childbearing age (62.4%) know about FGM. This trend varies according to
the department, the nature of the area, the age and the level of education (p <0.05). The most well‐
known FGMs are in order of importance: clitoridectomy (58.5%) and excision (10.5%). Very little is known
about infibulation (0.5%).

In general, five adolescent girls aged 15‐19 out of a hundred (5.1%) declared having been genetically
mutilated in the four departments of North Benin. This situation varies depending on the department of
residence, the nature of the area (project implementation area or buffer zone), the level of education of
the respondents and the place of residence. (CUSO International / UNFPA, March 2020)

1.2.2 Vulnerability: addiction, COVID19

● Drug addiction and other scourges

Adolescents and young people are exposed to other scourges such as the consumption of tobacco,
alcohol, narcotics and drugs, unhealthy diet, obesity in schools, traffic injuries / accidents, sexual
practices at risk, violence, trafficking, pimping and other practices harmful to their health such as forced
marriages and female genital mutilation, etc.

According to the second generation Sexual Transmitted Diseases (STI) / HIV / AIDS surveillance survey in
Benin (ESDG Benin, 2012), six four in ten young people (or about 60%) consume alcohol in any form.
Among those who consume it, the majority do so occasionally (82.8%). The other frequencies of alcohol
consumption breakdown as follows: i) 6.1% once a week, ii) 5.2% twice a week, iii) 4.5% several times a
week, iv) 1, 4% every day. As for cigarettes and drugs of all categories, 2.4% of young people use them.

In Benin, according to ESDG ‐2012, Six in ten Injectable Drug Users (IDU) have injected drugs twice a week
and the median duration of drug exposure is 4 years. The prevalence of HIV in the population of IDUs
surveyed is estimated at 6.7%.

Faced with these problems, initiatives are developing both on the side of public institutions and Civil
Society Organizations (CSOs) with the support of several bilateral and multilateral institutions.

Despite these efforts, adolescents and young people remain vulnerable to sexual and reproductive health
problems, and to the use of drugs and narcotics.

Some girls and young women are influenced by their environment of young men of questionable morals
who draw them into drug use and violence. It should also be noted that in certain border regions of the
country, some women engage in the cultivation and sale of psychotropic substances, the importation of
8
fake drugs, including psychotropic substances such as `` suck and die '' found in border areas with Nigeria.
Likewise, in the interior of the country, women are sometimes arrested in their homes or in ghettos
selling cannabis and other narcotics. This reality is amplified day by day by the weakness of IGAs by
women. In addition, women and girls become more vulnerable when faced with violent extremist acts.

● COVID19

According to the IMF (October 2020), the COVID‐19 pandemic is expected to cause the global economy
to contract (in terms of Gross Domestic Product ‐ GDP), by around 4.4% in 2020, i.e. a decline much more
marked than during the financial crisis of 2008‐09. In low‐income countries, the evolution of GDP will be
negative for the most part and very significantly for the large oil‐producing or commodity‐exporting
countries (more than 5%). Growth projected in 2020 for Africa in South Sahara would also be negative (‐
3%) with a marked situation in Nigeria (‐4.3%) and South Africa (‐8%).

In Benin, the economic growth rate is expected to decline by more than two‐thirds, to 2.3% in 2020
according to recent government forecasts (September 2020), well below forecasts and previous trends
above 6.7%4. As part of public action, the Government of Benin carried out rapid assessments of the
national situation and these enabled it to set up a health emergency plan, then a national response plan
in support of economic activity and the actors most affected by the crisis. However, the combined effects
of the crisis in the real sector with the epidemic factors generate enormous consequences and
multidimensional socioeconomic impacts that should be addressed in the context of a holistic study and
taking into account data from surveys.

As part of the study, the short‐term impact of the pandemic was simulated on the basis of two scenarios
which showed that the “containment” measures, as well as the epidemic factors of morbidity, mortality,
and socioeconomic increase in unemployment and underemployment induced by the crisis, affected the
annual mass of hours worked in Benin substantially by 15 to 15.7%.

1.2.3 Poverty and unemployment

In Benin, 39.0% of employed 15‐64 year olds work less than 35 hours per week in 2015 against 31.0% in
2011. This phenomenon affects women more than men with a growing gap between men and women
between 2011 and 2015. During this period the level rose from 24.1% to 37.3% for men and 37.3% to
42.8% for women. Those affected by visible underemployment are more prominent among those with
no education and experience an increase when moving from primary level (30.1%) to higher level (35.8%).
This phenomenon of visible underemployment is more marked in rural than in urban areas: respectively
44.3% against 33.1%. The proportion of people earning less than the minimum wage (40,000 CFA francs)
was 61.8% in 2015, but women are more affected than men: 78.6% against 47.0% respectively. Unlike
visible underemployment, the proportion of people in invisible underemployment is not negligible for
those with no level of education (71.1%), and decreases from primary (57.7%) to higher (10.5%). These
people are more numerous in rural than in urban areas: respectively 69.2% against 53.7%.

According to the World Bank, despite significant economic growth, poverty levels are high. Real GDP
growth rate recently edged up from 5.7 percent in 2017 to 6.7 percent in 2018 and remained high in 2019
at 6.9 percent, supported by the strong performance of cotton production and port activity, and a
renewed increase in construction. World Bank estimates based on official consumption aggregates
suggest that US$1.9 a day (2011 PPP) poverty declined from 49.5 percent in 2015 to 43.6 percent in 2019.

4
IMF October 2020
9
 1.2.4 Security crisis in borderlands
West Africa is increasingly the scene of terrorist attacks, kidnappings and
attacks by organized and unorganized terrorist groups. Niger, Burkina
Faso and Nigeria, countries bordering Benin, are specifically preferred
targets for jihadists, the most notable of which are Al‐Qaeda, Al‐Qaeda
in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and Boko Haram. In Benin, according to
the Netherlands Institute of International Relation in their 2021 CRU
report, security crisis affects more departments of Alibori, Atacora and
Borgou with frequent incursions into certain communes of Borgou and
Alibori. The department of Atacora and more precisely the Communes
of Materia and Tanguiéta also experienced incursions by some
uncontrolled elements. Acts of violence against people and private and
public property are recorded, in particular, during election periods. This
growing insecurity situation has led to the gradual desertion of tourists
and other economic partners from localities in North Benin which have
been declared a “red zone” by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and
the French Embassy in Benin.

As can be seen on the map (Source: National Strategy for the Prevention
of Violent Extremism in Benin), the area’s most at risk of violent extremism are located in the northern
part of the country in particular, in the municipalities bordering Nigeria, Niger and Burkina.

There is a clear empirical relationship between incidents of violence and borders in West Africa (2022
OECD Report, Borders and Conflicts in North and West Africa). Borderlands are less controlled political
spaces and armed groups have fewer impediments to movement or other activities within them.
Moreover, border violence in West Africa is increasing. Within the first six months of 2021, 60% of violent
incidents and related casualties occurred within 100 kilometers of a border, half of which involved
civilians. Due to its geographical specificity, Benin is all the more concerned by these considerations.

In Benin, the natural population growth rate (2.89%) is very different from the intercensal growth rate
(3.25%). The difference between the two rates (0.36%) is quite large and indicates that 24,372 immigrants
from outside settle in Benin each year. The hypothesis of zero migratory balance cannot therefore be
retained in the Beninese context.

Most immigrants are nationals of West African countries, mainly Niger (34.8%), Togo (22.1%), Nigeria
(20.5%) and, to a lesser extent, Burkina Faso (4.6 %). Their places of installation are mainly: Cotonou
(36.8%), Alibori (19.1%), Borgou region (11.8%). In the case of Cotonou, foreigners represent an
estimated 7.8% of the population.

1.2.5 Specific challenges faced by youth (women) in rural areas

Contagion of violence by violent extremist organizations (VEOs) in the Sahel has been driven by local
factors. VEOs have mastered the art of exploiting local vulnerabilities around land use, resource
management, social exclusion and ethnic tensions (2021 Clingendael Institute Report, Laws of Attraction
Northern Benin and risk of violent extremist spillover).

Political violence in northern Benin has three different but linked causes. Farmer‐herder conflict is the
most important problem (a 45% share). A second problem is ownership of and access to land, which is
tied to farmer‐herder conflict (about 10%). A third and more isolated problem involves the management
10
 of Park W and Pendjari
Park (also 10%). The main
risk for northern Benin is
that VEO activity will mix
with the drivers of
communal conflict ‐ the
root causes of communal
violence must therefore
be addressed and tackled.

Rural youth and women,

especially those living
from agriculture are
highly at risk of social
exclusion among other
challenges.

Young women in the age

group of 15 to 34 represent 41% of workers in the agricultural sector. However, socio‐cultural factors
(70% of households are headed by a male, limiting the decision‐making authority of women within the
household), difficult and/or unequal access to land, to the market, to training and resources such as
equipment, inputs and products, credit and agricultural entrepreneurial and legal advice limit the growth
of female entrepreneurship in the sector.

The same audit reveals that the school environment is outdated and unsuitable and can lead girls to feel
unsafe. Some examples are non‐existent or poor quality/hygiene toilets (non‐gender specific and
therefore not adapted to the needs of girls including in menstruation), insufficient, inadequately
equipped and unsecured dormitories, lack of water and electricity access and no on‐site infirmary.

High schools have developed action plans and proposals to strengthen the balance between the number
of boys and girls and improve the school environment but the gap has not yet been reduced.

1.3. Governmental and technical and financial partners’ interventions

1.3.1 Governmental and technical and financial partners’ interventions

Since 2016 and through the Government's Action Program for 2016‐2021, Benin has initiated a dynamic
of rupture and bearer of hope.

With a robust governance and public system, leading to decades of stability, Benin has the necessary
assets to become a space for sustainable and inclusive development, economic dynamism and social
progress. This potential, untapped for too long, begs to be revealed.

Indeed, Benin's strategic position in West Africa, its human capital, its political stability and its heritage
are indisputable advantages. It is therefore crucial to make these strengths better known and exploited.

This is the whole point of the "Benin Revealed" Program. It aims to establish a framework more conducive
to the blossoming of talents and dynamism of Beninese so as to sustainably relaunch the development
of our country. The “Revealed Benin” Program acts simultaneously on institutional, economic and social
levers It takes the form of 45 flagship projects in key sectors of the economy, implemented with the

11
support of private partners. This Program constitutes a volume of investments unprecedented in the
history of the country and its effects are intended to increase purchasing power, improve the well‐being
of populations, boost employment and promote Benin internationally.

This led Benin This has helped raise Benin to the top 4 most dynamic economies in Sub‐Saharan Africa
(IMF, 2019).

In this context of the unprecedented global crisis of the century, the country maintained a good B+ stable
outlook (S&P) and B ratings stable (Fitch Rating), evidence of strong institutions and economic policies
implemented since the advent of the New Start.

According to the World Bank, before the spread of the coronavirus, a crisis that will have a negative
impact on economic activity and government revenue, Benin had recorded solid economic outcomes
between 2016 and 2019, with average real GDP growth of 5.5%. But the decision taken by Nigeria, Benin’s
main economic partner, to unilaterally close its land borders with its neighbors in August 2019 has dealt
a major blow to economic activity in Benin. Indeed, despite the country’s relative resilience, economic
activity slowed to 6.4% in 2019 from 6.7% in 2018 (representing per capita GDP growth of 3.5%).

Specifically, for the field of education, health and social welfare, the report from "Benin Revélé" indicates
that performance improves year by year. Indeed, the overall indicators of primary education show an
increasing trend, the maintenance of which can probably lead to the achievement of the objective of
universal access to basic education. In addition, with a view to giving young people of working age and
people with specific needs the skills required by the labor market and employment, the Government has
initiated the reform of the education sub‐sector. technical and training and vocational.

Today, after five years of implementation of this ambitious plan, the Government of Benin is resolutely
committed to capitalizing on the gains by consolidating achievements in terms of democracy, rule of law
and good governance; commitment to the structural transformation of the economy towards
development to provide current and future generations with better living conditions, which constitute
the three pillars of the next Government Action Program for 2021‐2026 (PAG II).

Through this program, Benin is now engaged in a vast plan to restructure its education system by
prioritizing professional and technical branches and training of excellence. Better support for student
entrepreneurship and development of numeric is becoming a priority in order to facilitate the
professional integration of young graduates and to encourage and support promoters of growth
companies.

Technical and financial partners, the United Nations in particular, are joining the dynamic to work within
the framework of the PAG and to support the various strategic axis, including:

● Strategic Axis 4: Accelerating economic growth by increasing investments in digital infrastructure

and services, consolidating the performance of the agricultural sector and promoting the creation
of sustainable jobs for youth and women;
● Strategic Axis 5: Promotion of quality education and technical and vocational education and
training by developing technical and vocational education and training (including improvement
of the quality of training and study conditions), promoting research and innovation for social and
economic impacts and increasing of employment opportunities thanks to a better convergence
between supply and demand;
● Strategic Axis 6: Strengthening basic social services and social protection, including strengthening
the health system for effective health coverage;
12
 ● Strategic Axis 7: Strengthening the balanced and sustainable development of the national space,
including by strengthening environmental preservation and resilience to climate change.

A large number of projects and programs will be implemented or are already underway to enable the
realization of these strategic axis on which the interventions will be able to be connected and come to
reinforce5.

1.3.2 UNFPA efforts in support to the Government

Aligned to the UNSDCF, the United Nations Population Fund signed with the Government of Benin a four
(04) years Country program Development (CPD 2019‐2023) with three main outcomes focused on Sexual
and Reproductive Health; Adolescents and Youth and Gender equality and women’s empowerment.

As of today several initiatives, UNFPA focus its intervention around:

● Comprehensive Sexual Education (ESS) and e‐learning: Regarding the Adolescents and Youth,
UNFPA with the Ministry of Secondary Education, Technical and Professional Training, is leading
the programme of “Adolescent and Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health in Benin” with the
objective of realizing the rights to sexual and reproductive health of adolescents and young
people in Benin by increasing the availability, accessibility and use of information and services
adapted to age group of 15‐19. At the end, the programme aims to reach at least 877,000
adolescents and young people who benefited from a sexual health education program in 1,272
public primary and public / private secondary schools
● Gender equality and women’s empowerment: UNFPA is constantly providing assistance to the
Ministry of Social Affairs and Microfinance and also Ministry of Development and Coordination
of Governmental Action to deal with related challenges by i) empowering women and adolescent
girls and their access to quality reproductive, child and maternal health services, and improve
regional knowledge generation and sharing as well as regional capacity and coordination
(SWEDD) and ii) preventing gender‐based violence, protecting and empowering of girls and
women in times of the COVID‐19 epidemic to the reduction of Gender‐Based Violence (GBV), in
the departments of Alibori, Atacora, Atlantic and Borgou (Municipalities of Kalale and Parakou),
over a period of two (02) years, during the period of health crisis and post COVID‐19 crisis. This
intervention supports the development and testing of innovative methods of youth engagement
in the fight against GBV, which were identified during a co‐creation workshop bringing together
associations involved in the field. In this framework, a network of mixed duos of champions
committed to the fight against GBV has been set up for strengthening their capacities and
capitalizing on their network in order to spread the messages, particularly in the community
environment.
● UNFPA Supplies and the development of a new business model: The UNFPA Supplies
Partnership is uniting for transformative action in family planning and maternal health. The

5
For example : Digital transformation of local authorities, Digital development in higher education ; Development
of the rice sector (PDCV‐rice‐Benin), Development of high value‐added and conventional sectors, Support for the
development of the milk and meat sectors and the promotion of livestock companies, Promotion of sustainable
aquaculture and the competitiveness of fishing value chains. ; Support to youth entrepreneurship and youth
inclusion project, Creation of 30 modern agricultural technical high schools and 7 professional schools of
reference, ; Development of higher education and support to research and innovation ; Promotion of gender and
women's empowerment, Women's empowerment and the demographic dividend in the Sahel and Promotion of
financial inclusion.

13
 programme delivers a choice of modern contraceptives and life‐saving maternal health
medicines through strategic country‐led actions to strengthen supply chains and reproductive
health services. It prioritizes accountability and the effective use of resources to reach the last
mile. Every woman, adolescent girl and young person should be able to choose from and use a
range of quality family planning methods, no matter where she lives.
● #Tech4Youth: The initiative identifies common key priorities and strategic objectives with use of
technology to accelerate results of the adolescents and youth program in Benin, Burkina Faso,
Ghana, Nigeria and Togo. It aims to use innovative technological solutions as NLP to amplify SRHR
access to young people and accelerate the achievement of #SDG3. As this initiative responds to
the need to federate efforts to enable Comprehensive Sexuality Education, young people can
protect their health, well‐being and dignity and advance gender equality and the rights and
empowerment of young people; therefore, accelerates UNFPA’s transformative results.
● Multipronged innovation and technology portfolio: Alongside all these projects and
programmes, UNFPA Benin, aligned with its 2019‐2023 Innovation Actionable Strategy has
prototyped and tested numerous cross‐cutting innovations and technology initiatives. Indeed,
whether it is through the use of drones to improve last mile delivery specifically in Emergency
Obstetrical and Neonatal Cares (EmONCs), or the use of Virtual Reality in the initial training of
midwives, on Comprehensive Sexual Education (CSE); or the integration of local languages
through the Natural Language Processing process in “Ma Vie, Mon Choix” a mobile and electronic
learning application, establishment of GBVs youth champions network or the joint project with
International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to transform the Task Force Innov COVID19 to
create sustainability of impacts and maximize the lasting benefits of the digital innovations for
the targeted youth population … UNFPA Benin has clearly shown its engagement together with
all stakeholders, mainly the youth to use innovation, including technological, in order to
accelerate the achievement of 3 transformative results.

This project is therefore justified by the need to provide an innovative and appropriate response to the
many challenges of population growth in order to enable Benin to: i) join the African Union's roadmap
for capturing the demographic dividend, and ii) take advantage of the impact of population growth on
economic transformation, by capitalizing on ongoing initiatives to accelerate family planning, the
empowerment of women, girls and youth, including the creation of green jobs and community
commitments.
It is part of the general strategy of Luxembourg cooperation ‐ On the way to 2030, and more specifically
in the section dedicated to multilateral cooperation. It covers two components: i) women and ii)
adolescents and youth. The interventions will be implemented in the departments of Atacora, Alibori and
Borgou, regions facing important external shocks (terrorist attacks, floods...) and with low contraceptive
prevalence.
By investing in this partnership, UNFPA is committed to promoting the rights of rights holders, equity,
universality in access to sexual and reproductive health and family planning (SRH/FP) services, including
the right to quality information, girls' empowerment, environmental education, conflict prevention and
management to a) Improve adolescent and youth access to quality sexual and reproductive health
information and services through self‐care; b) Strengthen the resilience and socio‐economic
empowerment of young boys, girls and women; c) Improve community development and inclusiveness
through strengthening the effective participation and engagement of youth in decision‐making and
development mechanisms; and d) Strengthen governance mechanisms, leadership systems at

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community and national levels. The project will be implemented with national ownership and leadership
to maximize the impact of the interventions and ensure their sustainability.
Total funding from Luxembourg for the two components amounts to five million six hundred and ninety
thousand (4,690,000) Euros for the period 2023‐2025. The components will be implemented through the
implementation mechanisms of the cooperation program between Benin and UNFPA, whose resources
come from the organization's own resources and thematic resources mobilized from other donors.
II. Presentation of the project

2.1. Logic of intervention

In order to reduce the shortcomings inherent in adolescents' and young people's access to quality sexual
and reproductive health information and services, and their contribution to the social and economic
development of their communities, the combination of several approaches is necessary in the current
context of social transformation in Benin. This project will focus on capacity enhancement of adolescents
and young people, and those who can influence their decision making, e.g. Political and religious leaders,
SRH service providers, and community adult members to ensure adolescents and young people access to
quality SRHR information and services by facilitating the integration and synergies between the different
service areas, and linking the SRH service to the opportunities offered by information and communication
technologies. The project primarily targets young girls and boys and adolescents to strengthen their
capacity to exercise their sexual and reproductive rights autonomously. This will require the building of
their capacities in terms of information and life skills on SRHR, communication, entrepreneurship,
advocacy for the creation of a favorable environment to the promotion of SRHR. Thus, young people will
be supported and collaborating in the conduct of activities by and with communities and peers identified
and trained. Targeted health facilities will be strengthened to provide youth‐friendly services. Customary
/Traditional and religious leaders, community leaders, policy makers and decentralized service managers
will be targeted to support the initiatives undertaken by young people under the project.
The project interventions will be classified into four interrelated components as follows:

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● Adolescent and youth sexual and reproductive health and Rights (AYSRHR): This component will
facilitate the integration and synergies between the different areas of information and services, and
link the SRH service offer to the opportunities, including economic opportunities, brought by
information and communication technologies.
● Economic Empowerment & Bridging the gap between training and employment with sustainable
and resilient approaches: This component will provide young girls and boys with life skills, including
entrepreneurial skills, to reduce their financial insecurity, be less vulnerable to various shocks and
be more resilient.
● Leadership and participation of young people: The strategy through this component is to create a
better collaborative framework between youth and local authorities so that young people are
enabled to become drivers of change in their communities.
● Governance, data and coordination: This component aims at ensuring an effective implementation
of the project through the creation of an appropriate legal environment and evidence‐based
decisions.
2.2. Project goal, components, outcomes and activities
2.2.1. Project overall Goal
Unlock the power and potential of young girls, women and men, from 15‐24 years old to become
powerful agents of change and transformation, enabling their full autonomy for resilient communities in
fifty (50) villages from four (04) departments of Benin (Alibori, Atacora, Atlantic and Borgou).

2.2.2. Project components and outcomes

● Component 1 – Adolescent and youth sexual and reproductive health and rights (AYSRHR)
‐ Outcome 1: By 2025, at least 739 237 young people have made informed contraception choices
and are informed of the means and procedures to protect themselves/their entourage and
respond to GBV and FGM through an innovative, empowering and participatory approach in the
targeted interventions areas of the project;
● Component 2 ‐ Economic Empowerment & Bridging the gap between training and employment
with sustainable and resilient approaches
‐ Outcome 2: By 2025, 1000 young people, including in agricultural area, are reinforced in
entrepreneurship, SRHR and community resilience, and 50 businesses led by 150 young men
women and girls are supported while addressing climate, social and gender norm change within
communities enabling integration of female entrepreneurs into an ecosystem of partners
supporting innovation
● Component 3 – Leadership and participation of young people
‐ Outcome 3: By 2025, at least 50 villages and 300 young (female/male) leaders and entrepreneurs
together are nurturing inclusive community development
● Component 4 ‐ Governance, data and coordination:
‐ Outcome 4: By 2025, strengthen governance mechanisms, mentoring systems at a community
and national levels and partnerships to address youth resilience and structural inequalities for
gender transformative impact through evidence based decision.

2.2.3. Project outputs and activities

Components 1:

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 ● Output 1.1. At least 739 237 young people take informed decisions on Sexual and Reproductive
health (SRH)/Gender Based Violence (GBV) based on innovative and technological solutions
‐ Activity 1.1.1. Develop local sexual health education content in at least one local language,
building on the achievements of #Tech4Youth
‐ Activity 1.1.2. Implement innovative, gender and culturally sensitive communications to highlight
young people's abilities, assets, and contributions to responsible sexual practices
‐ Activity 1.1.3. Support the implementation of the Ma Vie Mon Choix (MVMC) e‐learning and m‐
learning strategy while capitalizing on existing achievements
● Output 1.2. At least 221 771 young people have access to RH products and services through
innovative and participative solutions
‐ Activity 1.2.1. Conduct an analysis of existing solutions in the field of RH in relation to the self‐
care solution in order to identify and implement potential complementarities and synergies
‐ Activity 1.2.2. Support the design of an innovative, digital and gender‐sensitive self‐care initiative,
including information sharing in SRHR, packaging and availability of contraceptive products to
and by young people and remote counseling on sexual and reproductive health issues
‐ Activity 1.2.3. Reinforce and build on the capacities of at least 25 young women and men to
strengthen the stock monitoring, distribution and resupply of contraceptive products at the
peripheral level and in the community
‐ Activity 1.2.4. Provide technical support to the various stakeholders, including institutions, in
order to promote the establishment of a framework suitable for the self‐administration of
contraceptives (including emergency contraceptives) and by peers and the development of the
legal framework and partnerships around self‐care
‐ Activity 1.2.5. Support HIV self‐testing and self‐administration of injectable and emergency
contraception among key populations, including youth, including analysis of the legal context and
contribution to product procurement
‐ Activity 1.2.6. Contribute to the strengthening of the tele‐counseling ecosystem, particularly on
sexual and reproductive health issues, including contraceptive products
Component 2
● Output 2.1 At least 1000 young people, female and male, are skilled and equipped to set up and
run sustainable and/or social businesses linked to Sexual and Reproductive Health and education
and (community) resilience
‐ Activity 2.1.1. Develop a digital toolkit for training and support to young (social) entrepreneurs,
notably based on the content and tools developed in the framework of #Tech4Girls, including on
the themes of SRHR, climate change and community resilience, and support its dissemination to
at least 700 young girls and boys
‐ Activity 2.1.2. Select, through a competitive process, at least 300 youth, individually or in
associations, with social business proposals that promote SRHR and CSE and/or community
resilience, including to the last mile
‐ Activity 2.1.3. Organize one boot camp per year for training and capacity building in business
creation and management, particularly in relation to social entrepreneurship and innovative &
green jobs to reach at least 300 youth
‐ Activity 2.1.4. Support the functioning of a collaborative platform for partnership research,
including resource mobilization for young entrepreneurs, in partnership with the United Nations
agencies and in synergy with their projects

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 ● Output 2.2 At least 150 young people (individually or collectively), have access to community based
financing mechanisms to set up social businesses for improving health and (community) resilience
through innovative social entrepreneurship
‐ Activity 2.2.1. Establish, in partnership with UNCDF and relevant technical expertise, a social
innovation fund for the development of social entrepreneurship in order to improve the
accessibility of young entrepreneurs to financing and partnerships
‐ Activity 2.2.2. Select, accompany and support, including financially, the development of social
businesses of at least 150 young people, individually or in associations, promoting SRHR and CSE,
the empowerment of girls and women and/or the resilience of their communities
‐ Activity 2.2.3. Support the initiatives of NGOs and structures for entrepreneurship support and
capacity building of youth
Component 3
● Output 3.1. At least 300 youth leaders and entrepreneurs are empowered and empowering 10 000
of their peers on gender equity, community resilience and social inclusion
‐ Activity 3.1.1. Support the establishment of at least one youth center providing capacity building
for youth and adolescents on gender equity, SRHR, community resilience, and youth leadership
‐ Activity 3.1.2. Train and support at least 300 young girls and boys on gender equity, SRHR,
resilience, leadership, and national and regional development and advocacy processes
‐ Activity 3.1.3. Support advocacy initiatives (including youth associations and networks) to ensure
that youth needs and priorities are taken into account in local governance bodies, particularly in
border areas
● Output 3.2 At least 50 villages are engaged in changing social norms to prevent GBV and harmful
practices through age and gender inclusive and novel approaches
‐ Activity 3.2.1. Support or exploit community consultations in 50 selected villages and their action
plans to change social norms in order to eliminate GBV at the community level
‐ Activity 3.2.2. Organize, on a biannual basis in the project's target areas, an inter‐generational
dialogue for social cohesion, including the fight against violent extremism and the elimination of
GBV, between youth, leaders and local elected officials and debates on environmental protection,
the culture of peace and public declarations of abandonment of GBV (including child marriages;
FGM)
‐ Activity 3.2.3. Support the extension and continuation of the network of champions committed to
the fight against GBV, its activities and its coverage of other issues (Sexual and Reproductive
Health and Rights of Adolescents and Youth, social cohesion, leadership, environment)
‐ Activity 3.2.4. Support the organization of socio‐educational, cultural, artistic and sportive
activities to promote gender equity, social cohesion and youth leadership, in partnership with the
Ministry of Sports and Youth
Component 4
● Output 4.1. Local and national institutions, coordination and monitoring mechanisms are
supported
‐ Activity 4.1.1. Support coordination meetings
‐ Activity 4.1.2. Support local and national authorities to identify missing data on youth and fill gaps
for analysis and action
‐ Activity 4.1.3. Conduct an analysis of the untapped potential of young girls in rural areas and
advocacy initiatives to support their empowerment

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 ‐ Activity 4.1.4. Document and support the sharing of good practices at the national, regional and
international levels in a south/south perspective
● Output 4.2. The management of the project is ensured
‐ Activity 4.2.1. Monitor activities, including one partner visit per year of the project's
implementation
‐ Activity 4.2.2. Conduct a baseline study in the first six months of project implementation, a mid‐
term review and the final project evaluation
‐ Activity 4.2.3 Ensure effective programmatic and operational implementation of the project
activities (Personnel, Equipment including security and communication, vehicle)
‐ Activity 4.2.4. Ensure communication and visibility of project's interventions

2.3. Key implementing strategies

a) To improve access to quality sexual and reproductive health information for adolescents and
youth, new communication contents will be developed in at least one local language based on
the achievements of #Tech4Youth. Communication activities will be implemented taking into
account gender and cultural sensitivity, as well as the assets of youth to adopt responsible sexual
practices and to fight against GBV. Three main channels will be used to provide access to quality
information on RH, including GBV: 1) peer education by relying on young leaders and
entrepreneurs whose skills have already been strengthened; 2) the e‐learning and m‐learning
platform of Ma Vie Mon Choix (MVMC) by capitalizing on existing assets; and 3) innovative youth
centers that will be set up.
For services, the project will put emphasis on integration of RH/FP service delivery, the
promotion of entrepreneurship/employability, environmental protection, conflict prevention
and the fight against GBV. An innovative, digital, gender‐sensitive self‐care initiative, including
information sharing on sexual and reproductive health and rights, packaging and provision of
contraceptive products for and by youth, and remote counseling on sexual and reproductive
health issues will be developed. In addition, the capacity of at least 25 young women and men
will be developed to strengthen the last mile. A suitable framework for contraceptive and peer
self‐administration, HIV self‐testing, and the development of the legal framework and
partnerships around self‐care will be put in place and the tele‐counseling ecosystem
strengthened.
The content of the modules covered is:
‐ Self‐confidence and personal development: self‐confidence, self‐knowledge, self‐esteem,
interpersonal skills and assertiveness, interpersonal communication, values and their influence
on our behavior, setting goals and how to achieve them, peer pressure, conflict management
‐ Sexual and reproductive health: the male and female reproductive system, the menstrual cycle
and reproduction, relational, affective and sexual life, family planning, pregnancy and abortion,
childbirth, obstetric fistula and female circumcision, the vaccination calendar, Sexual transmitted
Infections (STI)s, HIV/AIDS, and HIV testing, information and communication on sexuality and
reproductive health, etc.

b) To strengthen the resilience and socio‐economic empowerment of young boys, girls and women,
a digital toolkit for training and support to young (social) entrepreneurs will be developed,
notably based on the content and tools developed in the framework of #Tech4Girls, including on

19
 the themes of SRHR, climate change and community resilience, and support its dissemination to
at least 700 young girls and boys. A capacity building training session (boot camp) will be
organized once a year in business creation and management, particularly in relation to social
entrepreneurship and innovative & green jobs to reach at least 300 youth selected through a
competitive process, individually or in associations, with social business proposals that promote
SRHR and CSE and/or community resilience, including to the last mile. The digital toolkit for
training and support to young (social) entrepreneurs will serve as a tool.
At the end of the training, 50 business initiatives will be selected on the basis of well‐defined
criteria and supported technically and financially. The other projects that are not selected will be
supported through the establishment of contacts with a collaborative platform for partnership
research that will be supported, including resources mobilization for young entrepreneurs, in
partnership with the United Nations agencies and in synergy with their projects
The content of the modules covered is:
‐ Entrepreneurship: knowledge of concepts related to entrepreneurship, market research,
business plan development, project management, marketing strategy, communication strategy
including digital,
‐ Financial management: introduction to financial skills and money, savings, savings objectives and
savings plans, methods and safe places to keep money, ways to spend money, borrowing
prudently and obtaining a large sum of money, conflict resolution related to money,
‐ Gender‐based violence and RH: the rights of adolescents in RH, legal texts to fight GBV and
recourse mechanisms,
‐ Environmental protection: definition of the environment, causes of environmental degradation,
why protect the environment (what does the community gain and what are the challenges it
faces), how to protect the environment with low‐cost community solutions and practices,
roles/responsibilities of the target group for the implementation of the identified solutions and
practices within the community,
‐ Conflict prevention and management: knowledge of conflict concepts, type and level of conflict,
conflict analysis, attitudes towards conflict, communication skills and types of conflict
communication, intervention skills and types of interventions; alerts (to prevent conflict) and
early warning skills.
c) To improve community development in an inclusive manner, 300 youth leaders, female and male,
with equal parity, selected on basis on defined criteria, will be empowered on gender equity,
SRHR, community resilience, and leadership and participation. These trained youth leaders and
entrepreneurs trained during the boot camp will in turn reach 10,000 young people by the
activities of the leaders, entrepreneurs and the youth center that will be put in place.
Opportunities for dialogue among youth, leaders, and local authorities will be created to facilitate
the prioritization of youth needs and aspirations in grassroots development initiatives.
For the change of social norms, community consultations will be organized in 50 villages selected
on the basis of consensus criteria. Action plans resulting from these consultations will be
supported. In addition, intergenerational dialogues will be organized to strengthen social
cohesion and fight against all forms of gender‐based violence and other harmful practices
through community commitments to fight against these scourges. The young champions network
set up will strengthen community mobilization to this effect.

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d) To strengthen governance mechanisms, local and national monitoring and coordination mechanisms,
including support for the collection of data and information gaps for decision‐making about youth,
support for girls' empowerment initiatives in rural areas, documentation and sharing of good practices in
national and international forums will be strengthened.
In addition, project management will be strengthened with the establishment of a team, the
reinforcement of monitoring with the realization of joint field visits with Luxembourg and the
government and the realization of independent baseline and final evaluations to assess the achievement
of the expected objectives of the project. The baseline study will help refine the results framework.

2.4. Beneficiaries and implementing areas

Specific objective Beneficiaries Implementing areas

Specific objective 1: Improve access to ─ Direct beneficiaries: youth and Alibori, Atacora,
quality sexual and reproductive health adolescents Atlantic, Borgou
information and services for ─ Indirect beneficiaries: Families,
adolescents and youth, particularly in teachers, CSOs, health
all the communes of the Alibori, personnel, communities
Atacora, Atlantic and Borgou
departments, through "self‐care.

Specific objective 2: Strengthen the
resilience and socio‐economic
empowerment of young boys, girls and
women in the Alibori, Atacora, Atlantic
and Borgou departments, individually,
in federations, unions, associations
and economic interest groups through
the integration of RH/FP service
delivery, the promotion of
entrepreneurship/employability,
environmental protection, conflict
prevention and the fight against GBV
─ Direct beneficiaries: Young girls Alibori, Atacora,
and boys, women members or Atlantic, Borgou
not of associations and economic
interest groups
─ Indirect claimants: Women's
families (husbands, children and
other close relatives) community
leaders, CSOs, health personnel,
and villages

Specific objective 3: Improve ─ Direct rights holders: youth and Alibori, Atacora,
community development in an adolescents Atlantic, Borgou
inclusive manner by strengthening the ─ Indirect claimants:
effective participation and municipalities, Families,
involvement of youth in decision‐ teachers, CSOs, communities,
making and development leaders (including traditional and
mechanisms. religious)

Specific objective 4 : Strengthen ─ Direct claimants: Alibori, Atacora,

governance mechanisms, community Departments, City Halls Atlantic, Borgou
and national level leadership systems ─ Indirect claimants: Families
and partnerships to address youth young boys and girls, women,
resilience and structural inequalities. CSOs, communities

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 2.5. Project implementation, monitoring and evaluation

2.5.1. Project implementation

Implementation will be carried out through the cooperation program between Benin and UNFPA, in
conjunction with the technical ministries concerned and with the technical assistance of UNCDF (And
other UN agencies) and other partners, as shown in the table above. Implementing NGO partners will be
identified on the basis of specific terms of reference and their expertise in the areas to be covered. An
overall annual project work plan will be developed each year. Activities will be integrated into the annual
work plans of the implementing partners assigned. UNFPA will ensure the overall cohesion and
responsibility for the implementation of the project by ensuring the availability of resources and
monitoring the development and implementation of annual work plans. To this end, a team (Project
Manager, project assistant, community manager UNV, Driver) will be recruited to support the
implementation of the project, in addition to the technical expertise of UNFPA staff who will be actively
engaged in the management and execution of the project.

2.5.2. Monitoring and reporting

An ongoing process of systematically collecting information on beneficiaries/entitled persons, according
to selected indicators, will be deployed to monitor the implementation of the project in a results‐based
management approach. It will make it possible to interpret the information collected and to determine
whether the strategies and interventions developed are in line with the expected results and objectives
of the project. The results and resources framework is attached.

A participatory and results‐based monitoring plan will be developed and linked to the monitoring and
evaluation plan of the cooperation program between Benin and UNFPA. It will specify the monitoring and
evaluation mechanism used to collect the data needed to monitor the identified indicators. This plan,
which will be developed at the outset of the project, will detail the monitoring, coordination,
documentation, knowledge sharing and evaluation activities, the schedule of activities, who will be
responsible and the breakdown of resources. These activities will specifically include:

- The development of a baseline on some of the indicators targeted by the project within six
months of the start will allow for better adjustment of certain targets;
- The development of annual work plans;
- Joint field visits;
- Monitoring and coordination meetings involving all stakeholders;
- Documentation of good practices/lessons learned;
- Conducting knowledge sharing forums;
- Preparation of annual reports;
- Conducting annual reviews as part of the annual program review;
- The audit of fund management, integrated with the audit of the national execution of the
cooperation program.

The monitoring of the project will enable the stakeholders to ensure that the expected results are
achieved. In addition, UNFPA will produce technical and financial reports for the Luxembourg
Cooperation on a semi‐annual and annual basis and a final report six months after the end of the project.

Emphasis will be placed on the quality of progress reports in a results‐based management and
accountability approach, with the dual aim of communicating and reporting on progress and results
achieved as well as on the realization of human rights principles. Thus, during implementation, UNFPA
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will regularly review relevant evidence‐based data and information to assess progress in project
implementation. Emphasis will also be placed in progress reports on the assessment of key stakeholders
(beneficiary groups and partners) in relation to defined roles and responsibilities. Challenges and/or risks
encountered during implementation and their influence on the project will be mentioned in the progress
report, including measures taken/proposed to address them. This report will be submitted during the
steering committee meetings. The progress reports will also provide key information on the evolution of
the exit or transition strategy.

The financial reports will provide an update on expenditures in relation to forecasts and progress toward
project objectives.

2.5.3. Evaluation
The new UNFPA Evaluation Policy sets out specific actions to improve organizational learning and
accountability. As such, evaluation in UNFPA is conducted to assess, as systematically and impartially as
possible, an activity, project, programme, strategy, policy, topic, theme, sector, operational area, or
institutional performance. It integrates a results‐based approach and a human rights approach and aims
to determine the relevance, impact, effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability of its interventions and
contributions, including with regard to the respect and enjoyment of human rights.

The project evaluation will follow the UNFPA evaluation approach. As such, a baseline survey will be
conducted at the beginning of the project specifically to assess the status of pregnancies in schools, the
existence and quality of Adolescents and Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health (AYSRH) services in the
two target regions, and the use of ICTs by adolescents and youth, The mapping of women's organizations
and their capacity in relation to conflict prevention (including violent extremism), the fight against GBV
and their contribution to environmental protection in order to set the basis for certain indicators and
adjust the targets from which the monitoring plan will be developed no later than six months after the
beginning of the project.

A specific mid‐term review based on the Baseline survey conducted at the beginning of the project will
be organized to analyze the progress towards the achievement of the results and adjust the strategies if
necessary. A final evaluation will allow for impact mapping to measure behavioral changes in a
participatory manner. It will also analyze the project's results in terms of effectiveness, efficiency,
sustainability, etc. The results will be used to advocate for the systematic integration of RH/FP services
into development projects that target producer associations and groups, and contribute to
environmental protection and conflict prevention. Both of these evaluations will be conducted by an
independent organization with expertise in evaluating similar projects and programs.

2.6. Risks analysis and management

This project, which will be implemented in Benin, aims to achieve a certain number of results that could
be compromised by certain risks. These risks vary according to the specific objectives pursued. They
include the deterioration of the country's socio‐political and security situation. Benin has been
experiencing terrorist attacks for some time, particularly in its northern part. In addition, heavy rainfall
has recently caused a rise in water levels in Benin and flooding in several cities of the country. The
Ministry of the Interior and Public Security, through the forecasting and warning unit, has issued an
awareness‐raising communiqué against recklessness and risky behavior. The first alerts were reported
shortly after mid‐August. UNFPA will conduct an annual in‐depth assessment of operational,
environmental, socio‐political and fraud risks in relation to its cooperation program and will define and

23
implement a risk mitigation plan. As the project is integrated into the country program, it will be covered
by this exercise, which will also take into account the risks specific to the project itself. The risk
management matrix (attached) presents all the risks specific to the project and the measures to mitigate
these risks.

When unrest or other external shocks may prevent the implementation of activities, UNFPA conducts a
program criticality exercise to adapt to the new situation.

2.7. Project management modalities

For the management of this project, a steering committee will be set up, chaired by the Ministry of Sports
and in charge of youth through (DJVLA) and composed of UNFPA, the Luxembourg Embassy, the Ministry
of Health, representatives of the ministries in charge of education, women, environment and youth, the
prefects of the departments covered, NGOs and partner associations. This committee will hold semi‐
annual meetings to monitor and coordinate interventions.

In terms of management control, coordination and monitoring and evaluation, the project will integrate
the current mechanism of the ninth (9th) cooperation program between Benin and UNFPA (2019‐2023)
which is provided by the Ministry of Economy and Finance through the Management and Coordination
Unit (MCU).

These structures are responsible for coordinating the development of annual work plans as well as the
organization of periodic progress reviews, facilitating the work of stakeholders through the
harmonization of the accountability system, internal control of financial management, and the
establishment of a permanent exchange framework between the country program's implementing
partners as well as the development of synergies between the various actors. They will integrate the
project into all these activities to optimize synergies and create bridges for overall coherence.

UNFPA will ensure the availability of resources and the overall monitoring of the development and
implementation of annual work plans. It will provide technical expertise to the implementation of the
project through its program specialists. The project resources will be managed in accordance with the
procedures for managing other UNFPA/Benin cooperation program funds in force.

UNFPA will report to the partner (Luxembourg) through an annual project implementation report and
the organization of a field visit each year.

UNCDF, UNAIDS and UNDP will provide their technical expertise in inclusive financing, HIV/AIDS and
youth employment respectively, to ensure that these issues are better taken into account in the
implementation of the project.

The NGOs that will be identified among the program's implementing partners or recruited through a call
for proposals will be responsible for implementing the project in collaboration with local stakeholders
(producers' associations and groups, health facilities, local authorities). They will be responsible for
providing the technical assistance necessary for the facilitation, promotion and monitoring and
evaluation of the intervention, including the successful implementation of the exit or transition strategy.

In accordance with UNFPA procedures, all facilities selected to implement program activities will undergo
an analysis of institutional technical and financial management capacity and a capacity building plan will
be developed for facilities that are at low or moderate risk. A structure with a high level of risk will not
be accepted.

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The technical ministries (Ministry of Sports and in charge of youth, Ministry of Health, Ministry of
Education, Ministry of Women, Social Action and Microfinance, Ministry of Decentralization and Local
Governance, Ministry of the Interior and Public Security, Ministry of the Environment and their
deconcentrated and decentralized structures) will ensure the technical coherence of project
implementation through their existing bodies and will ensure compliance with national policies as well
as the monitoring of interventions

2.8. Sustainability and strategies

The present project has integrated the exit strategy from its conception through the following actions:

- The involvement of key actors in the development of the project, namely the key actors of the
Ministry of Sports and in charge of youth, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Social Affairs and
microfinance, Ministry of the Interior and Public Security, Ministry of Living Environment and
Sustainable Development,
- Taking into account the operational aspects of the project in the institutional objectives of UNFPA
and in the strategic plans of the Government of Benin currently being implemented.
- The organization of exchanges on the expectations of women's groups and young boys and girls,
which led to the definition of an integrated package of FP services and resilience building for
women and girls.
- The introduction of a reflection on the search for financial equilibrium of services conducted by
NGOs or other operators in order to define the criteria of sustainability in the terms of reference
that will support the partnership with these structures.
- The alignment on the government action plan (PAG II), which takes into account the SDGs that
emphasize the reduction of inequalities and the right to access sexual and reproductive health
services; the structural transformation of the economy

In addition, the project already has strong elements of sustainability within itself due to its specificity.
Indeed, universal access to sexual and reproductive health for the population, especially women,
adolescents and youth, and the fight against GBV are an integral part of the cooperation program
between Benin and UNFPA and contribute to the realization of the government's commitments in terms
of accelerating FP and women and youth empowerment. The provision of FP services is institutionalized
and very well organized at all levels of the health system. The government has been committed for several
years to the acquisition of contraceptive products from the national budget and an exit plan is being
developed as part of the new government's free maternal health and FP promotion measures.

In this regard, the evaluation of capacities of the NGOs involved in the implementation of the UNFPA
Cooperation Program to continue the actions supported is part of their selection criteria. In addition, an
exit strategy and commitment of NGOs to continue the interventions is currently underway. This strategy
includes institutional support to NGOs to build their upstream capacity to generate resources to sustain
UNFPA‐supported initiatives once UNFPA withdraws. These approaches will be applied to the NGOs and
networks that will be involved in the project.

The sustainability of digital technology is one of the key criteria for implementation. The project will
capitalize on the use of existing digital solutions, made by young people and for young people, such as
the #Tech4Youth and Self‐care platform built according to business models based on the creation of value
vis‐à‐vis the mainly identified SDGs, in the respect of a balance between the 4 components of
sustainability (Fairness, Equity, Accessibility and Decoupling).

25
 2.9. Communication
The visibility and communication activities of the project will be integrated into the communication plan
of the Cooperation Program between Benin and UNFPA. A specific visibility and communication plan with
detailed indicators will be developed before the actual start of the project to raise awareness of the
support provided by Luxembourg and the benefits associated with the partnership with UNFPA. This plan
will focus primarily on the areas covered by the project, the progress and results achieved, and the
documentation and dissemination of best practices resulting from the project.

2.10. Budget
The total amount of the project is four million seven hundred and fifty thousand (4,750,000) euros over
a period of three years (2023‐2025). It is distributed as follows:
● Outcome 1: €885 000 or 18,63% of the project budget
● Outcome 2: €1 460 000 or 34,53% of the project budget
● Outcome 3: €1 065,000 or 22,42% of the project budget
● Outcome 4: €767 500 or 16,16% of the project budget
● Support cost: €348 600 or 8% of the project budget
● RCO contribution: €43 575 or 1% of the project budget

26
 III. ANNEXES
3.1. Results framework

Results framework ‐ YES Project

Unlock the power and potential of young men, women and girls from 15‐24 years old to become powerful agents of
Project Goal
change and transformation, enabling their full autonomy for resilient communities.
Provide a comprehensive set of skills in sexual and reproductive health, economic empowerment; leadership and
Project Purpose participation and support institutional related ecosystem; to at least 739 237 young girls and boys of four (04)
departments (Alibori, Atacora, Atlantic and Borgou) of bordering areas and exposed to external risks
Implementation years
Outcome Output Indicators Activities Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Total
EUR
COMPONENT 1 : Adolescent and youth sexual and reproductive health and rights (AYSRHR) up to the last mile
1. By 2026, at Activity 1.1.1. Develop local
least 739 237 1. Number of new sexual health education content
young people contents developed in in at least one local language, €15,000.00 €40,000.00 €20,000.00 €75,000.00
have made local language to building on the achievements of
1.1. At least 739 237 #Tech4Youth
informed bring SRH/GBV
young people take
contraception information to youth Activity 1.1.2. Implement
informed decisions on
choices and are (VB: 0 ‐ VC: 2) innovative, gender and
Sexual and
informed of the culturally sensitive
Reproductive health
means and 2. Number of young communications to highlight €30,000.00 €40,000.00 €40,000.00 €110,000.00
(SRH)/Gender Based
procedures to people who have young people's abilities, assets,
Violence (GBV) based
protect access to SRHR/GBV and contributions to
on innovative and
themselves/their information through responsible sexual practices
technological solutions
entourage and digital and innovative Activity 1.1.3. Support the
respond to GBV platforms (VB:** ; implementation of the Ma Vie
and FGM through VC:+739237 ) €15,000.00 €15,000.00 €15,000.00 €45,000.00
Mon Choix (MVMC) e‐learning
an innovative, and m‐learning strategy while

27
empowering and capitalizing on existing
participatory achievements
approach in the Sub Total O1.1 €60,000.00 €95,000.00 €75,000.00 €230,000.00
targeted
3. A self‐care solution Activity 1.2.1. Conduct an
interventions
is available and analysis of existing solutions in
areas of the
functional (VB: no; the field of RH in relation to the
project
VC: yes) self‐care solution in order to €25,000.00 €0.00 €0.00 €25,000.00
identify and implement
4. Number of young potential complementarities
women and men who and synergies
purchase RH products Activity 1.2.2. Support the
through the self‐care design of an innovative, digital
platform (VB: 0; VC: and gender‐sensitive self‐care
1.2. At least 221 771
201,271) initiative, including information
young people have
sharing in SRHR, packaging and
access to RH products €120,000.00 €50,000.00 €50,000.00 €220,000.00
5. Number of youth availability of contraceptive
and services through
who play an active products to and by young
innovative and
role in the RH people and remote counseling
participative solutions
products distribution on sexual and reproductive
chain (VB: 0; VC: 25) health issues
5.a Female (VB: 0; VC: Activity 1.2.3. Reinforce and
13) build on the capacities of at
5.b Male (VB: 0; VC: least 25 young women and men
12) to strengthen the stock
€50,000.00 €50,000.00 €50,000.00 €150,000.00
monitoring, distribution and
6. Number of youth resupply of contraceptive
who receive remote products at the peripheral level
counseling through and in the community

28
 the self‐care platform Activity 1.2.4. Provide technical
(VB: 0; VC: 20,000) support to the various
stakeholders, including
institutions, in order to
promote the establishment of a
framework suitable for the self‐
€20,000.00 €20,000.00 €20,000.00 €60,000.00
administration of
contraceptives (including
emergency contraceptives) and
by peers and the development
of the legal framework and
partnerships around self‐care
Activity 1.2.5. Support HIV self‐
testing and self‐administration
of injectable and emergency
contraception among key
€50,000.00 €50,000.00 €50,000.00 €150,000.00
populations, including youth,
including analysis of the legal
context and contribution to
product procurement
Activity 1.2.6. Contribute to the
strengthening of the tele‐
counseling ecosystem,
particularly on sexual and €30,000.00 €30,000.00 €15,000.00 €75,000.00
reproductive health issues,
including contraceptive
products
Sub Total O1.2 €270,000.00 €200,000.00 €185,000.00 €655,000.00
Sub total component 1 €330,000.00 €295,000.00 €260,000.00 €885,000.00
COMPONENT 2 ‐ Economic Empowerment & Bridging the gap between training and employment with sustainable and resilient approaches

29
 Activity 2.1.1. Develop a digital
2. By 2026, 1000 toolkit for training and support
young people, to young (social) entrepreneurs,
including in notably based on the content
agricultural area, 7. Number of youth and tools developed in the
are reinforced in having access to the framework of #Tech4Girls, €50,000.00 €30,000.00 €30,000.00 €110,000.00
entrepreneurship, entrepreneurship including on the themes of
SRHR and training toolkit SRHR, climate change and
community 7.a. female (VB: 0 ; community resilience, and
resilience, and 50 2.1 At least 1000 young VC: 350) support its dissemination to at
businesses led by people, female and 7.b. male (VB: 0 ; VC: least 700 young girls and boys
150 young men male, are skilled and 350) Activity 2.1.2. Select, through a
women and girls equipped to set up and competitive process, at least
are supported run sustainable and/or 8. Number of youth 300 youth, individually or in
while addressing social businesses linked trained in associations, with social
€15,000.00 €15,000.00 €15,000.00 €45,000.00
climate, social to Sexual and entrepreneurship, business proposals that
and gender norm Reproductive Health SRHR, climate change promote SRHR and CSE and/or
change within and education and and community community resilience, including
communities (community) resilience resilience through the to the last mile
enabling boot camps : Activity 2.1.3. Organize one
integration of 1.a. female (VB: 0; VC: boot camp per year for training
female 150) and capacity building in
entrepreneurs 1.b. male (VB: 0; VC: business creation and
into an ecosystem 150) management, particularly in €50,000.00 €50,000.00 €50,000.00 €150,000.00
of partners relation to social
supporting entrepreneurship and
innovation innovative & green jobs to
reach at least 300 youth

30
 Activity 2.1.4. Support the
functioning of a collaborative
platform for partnership
research, including resource
mobilization for young €10,000.00 €10,000.00 €10,000.00 €30,000.00
entrepreneurs, in partnership
with the United Nations
agencies and in synergy with
their projects
Sub Total O 2 1 €125,000.00 €105,000.00 €105,000.00 €335,000.00
2.2 At least 150 Young Activity 2.2.1. Establish, in
people (individually or partnership with UNCDF and
collectively), have relevant technical expertise, a
access to community social innovation fund for the
8. Number of projects
based financing development of social €160,000.00 €160,000.00 €160,000.00 €480,000.00
receiving technical
mechanisms to set up entrepreneurship in order to
and financial support
social businesses for improve the accessibility of
(VB: 0; VC: 50)
improving health and young entrepreneurs to
(community) resilience financing and partnerships
9. Number of young
through innovative Activity 2.2.2. Select,
people accompanied
social entrepreneurship accompany and support,
in the development of
including financially, the
their economic
development of social
and/or (social)
businesses of at least 150
business initiatives €250,000.00 €250,000.00 €250,000.00 €750,000.00
young people, individually or in
(VB: 0; VC: 150)
associations, promoting SRHR
and CSE, the empowerment of
girls and women and/or the
resilience of their communities

31
 Activity 2.2.3. Support the
initiatives of NGOs and
structures for entrepreneurship €25,000.00 €25,000.00 €25,000.00 €75,000.00
support and capacity building of
youth
Sub Total O 2 2 €435,000.00 €435,000.00 €435,000.00 €1,305,000.00
Sub total component 2 €560,000.00 €540,000.00 €540,000.00 €1,640,000.00
COMPONENT 3 ‐ Leadership and participation of young people
10. Number of youth Activity 3.1.1. Support the
leaders empowered establishment of at least one
on gender equity, youth center providing capacity
SRHR, community building for youth and €70,000.00 €25,000.00 €25,000.00 €120,000.00
resilience, and adolescents on gender equity,
3. By 2026, at leadership and SRHR, community resilience,
least 50 villages 3.1. At least 300 youth participation (VB: 0;and youth leadership
and 300 young leaders and VC: 300) Activity 3.1.2. Train and support
(female/male) entrepreneurs are 10.a. Female (VB: 0; at least 300 young girls and
leaders and empowered and VC: 150) boys on gender equity, SRHR,
entrepreneurs empowering 10 000 of 10.b. Male (VB: 0; VC:resilience, leadership, and €50,000.00 €50,000.00 €50,000.00 €150,000.00
together are their peers on gender 150) national and regional
nurturing equity, community development and advocacy
inclusive resilience and social 11. Number of youth processes
community inclusion reached by the Activity 3.1.3. Support advocacy
development activities of the initiatives (including youth
leaders, associations and networks) to
entrepreneurs and ensure that youth needs and €20,000.00 €20,000.00 €20,000.00 €60,000.00
the youth center (VB: priorities are taken into account
0; VC: 10,000) in local governance bodies,
11.a. Leaders: 6,000 particularly in border areas

32
 11.b. Entrepreneurs:
2,500
11.c. Youth center:
1,500

Sub total O 3 1 €140,000.00 €95,000.00 €95,000.00 €330,000.00

Activity 3.2.1. Support or
exploit community
consultations in 50 selected
villages and their action plans €150,000.00 €150,000.00 €150,000.00 €450,000.00
12. Number of action
to change social norms in order
plans resulting from
to eliminate GBV at the
community
community level
3.2 At least 50 villages consultations
Activity 3.2.2. Organize, on a
are engaged in implemented with
biannual basis in the project's
changing social norms project support (VB:
target areas, an inter‐
to prevent GBV and 0; VC: 50)
generational dialogue for social
harmful practices
cohesion, including the fight
through age and gender 13. Number of
against violent extremism and
inclusive and novel villages that publicly
the elimination of GBV,
approaches commit to €30,000.00 €30,000.00 €30,000.00 €90,000.00
between youth, leaders and
abandoning GBV and
local elected officials and
harmful practices (VB:
debates on environmental
0; VC: 50)
protection, the culture of peace
and public declarations of
abandonment of GBV (including
child marriages; FGM)

33
 Activity 3.2.3. Support the
extension and continuation of
the network of champions
committed to the fight against
GBV, its activities and its
€25,000.00 €25,000.00 €25,000.00 €75,000.00
coverage of other issues (Sexual
and Reproductive Health and
Rights of Adolescents and
Youth, social cohesion,
leadership, environment)
Activity 3.2.4. Support the
organization of socio‐
educational, cultural, artistic
and sportive activities to
€40,000.00 €40,000.00 €40,000.00 €120,000.00
promote gender equity, social
cohesion and youth leadership,
in partnership with the Ministry
of Sports and Youth
Sub Total O 3 2 €245,000.00 €245,000.00 €245,000.00 €735,000.00
Sub Total component 3 €385,000.00 €340,000.00 €340,000.00 €1,065,000.00
COMPONENT 4 ‐ Governance, data and coordination
4. By 2026, 14. Number of Activity 4.1.1. Support
€10,000.00 €10,000.00 €10,000.00 €30,000.00
strengthen 4.1. Local and national coordination coordination meetings
governance institutions, meetings held (VB: 0;Activity 4.1.2. Support local and
mechanisms, coordination and VC: 6) national authorities to identify
€20,000.00 €20,000.00 €0.00 €40,000.00
monitoring monitoring missing data on youth and fill
systems at a mechanisms are 15. Number of good gaps for analysis and action
community and supported practices documented Activity 4.1.3. Conduct an
€15,000.00 €2,000.00 €2,000.00 €19,000.00
national levels in the framework of analysis of the untapped

34
and partnerships the project (VB: 0; VC: potential of young girls in rural
to address youth 3) areas and advocacy initiatives
resilience and to support their empowerment
structural Activity 4.1.4. Document and
inequalities for support the sharing of good
gender practices at the national,
transformative €10,000.00 €10,000.00 €10,000.00 €30,000.00
regional and international
impact through levels in a south/south
evidence based perspective
decision. Sub total 0 4.1. €55,000.00 €42,000.00 €22,000.00 €119,000.00
16. The baseline study Activity 4.2.1. Monitor
report is available activities, including one partner
€13,000.00 €12,500.00 €13,000.00 €38,500.00
(VB: no; VC: yes) visit per year of the project's
17. Number of annual implementation
project reports Activity 4.2.2. Conduct a
available (VB: 0; VC: baseline study in the first six
3) months of project
€25,000.00 €0.00 €0.00 €25,000.00
4.2. The management 18. The consolidated implementation, a mid‐term
of the project is final report is review and the final project
ensured available (VB: No; VC: evaluation
Yes)
19. The final Activity 4.2.3 Ensure effective
evaluation report is programmatic and operational
available (VB: no; VC: implementation of the project €175,000.00 €188,000.00 €192,000.00 €555,000.00
yes) activities (Personnel,
20. Number of Equipment including security
communication and communication, vehicle)

35
 products available to
promote project
results (VB: 0; VC: 6) Activity 4.2.4. Ensure
21. Number of joint communication and visibility of €10,000.00 €10,000.00 €10,000.00 €30,000.00
missions organized project's interventions
with the partner (VB:
0; VC: 3)
Sub total O 4 2 €223,000.00 €210,500.00 €215,000.00 €648,500.00
Sub Total Component 4 €278,000.00 €252,500.00 €237,000.00 €767,500.00
Total components €1,553,000.00 €1,427,500.00 €1,377,000.00 €4,357,500.00
Indirect support costs (8%) €348,600.00
Total program
€4,706,100.00
budget
CONTRIBUTION TO THE RESIDENT COORDINATOR SYSTEM (1%) €43,575.00
GLOBAL TOTAL €4,749,675.00

36
 3.2. Risks management

Risks Probability Impact Justification and response

Globally

Degradation of the Low Mediu Justification: There is growing insecurity in the northern
country's socio‐political m departments of Benin. Indeed, some communes in the
climate departments of Alibori, Atacora, Atlantic and Borgou are
subject to a terrorist threat from groups affiliated with
al‐Qaeda. The municipalities bordering Niger, Nigeria,
and Burkina Faso are the most affected. Since November
30, 2021, there have been approximately 20 attacks by
jihadist groups in Benin. This threat highlights the
difficulties countries face in ensuring security in border
areas. During the first six months of 2021, 60% of violent
incidents in West Africa took place within 100 kilometers
of a border. This socio‐political context creates a risk for
the people and goods mobilized during the project,
particularly in the departments of Alibori, Atacora and
Borgou.
Actions
‐ Train partners on how to take risks into account
in program management.
‐ Develop, for the benefit of the program's
implementing partners, an informative checklist
of concrete actions to be taken according to the
risks linked to the deterioration of the socio‐
political climate.
‐ UNFPA will conduct an annual in‐depth
assessment of operational, environmental, socio‐
political and fraud risks in relation to its
cooperation program and will define and
implement a risk mitigation plan.

Floods Medium Mediu Justification: Benin suffers from recurrent floods that
m are becoming increasingly severe due to the effects of
climate change. The risk of deterioration of materials and
equipment made available to implementing partners can
be high.
Action
- Share (in advance) with implementing partners,

37
 including local actors on the ground, the
instructions to be followed before, during and
after the flood to secure property and people.
- UNFPA will conduct an annual in‐depth
assessment of operational, environmental,
socio‐political and fraud risks in relation to its
cooperation program and will define and
implement a risk mitigation plan.

Sanitary crisis Medium Mediu Justification: For about 4 years, Benin has been suffering
m from infectious/transmissible diseases such as LASSA in
some UNFPA intervention zones. In addition, COVID 19
has appeared since the beginning of the year 2020
throughout the country.
The frequency of occurrence of these events constitutes
a risk for the implementation of the program, especially
as they impact certain intervention areas, thus
disrupting the achievement of the expected results.
Actions:
‐ Implementation of barrier measures,
‐ detection and early management of cases,
‐ Vaccination,
‐ Awareness,
‐ Teleworking.

Component 1

Low quality of the cell Low Low Justification: Rural areas are still forgotten by digital
phone network and development in Benin. The connection is really fluid only
internet coverage in urban areas.
Actions
- Make use of free WIFI,
- Involve all operators to facilitate access to
platforms.

Reluctance of some Low Low Justification: Some leaders cite cultural and/or religious
segments of local reasons for rejecting family planning in particular.
communities to use FP Others, on the other hand, have rather favorable
opinions. Under these conditions, where the behavior of
some members of the community is strongly influenced
by the messages of their leaders, the promotion of family
planning may encounter some opposition from them.

38
 Actions
- Baseline mapping study that will assist in the
identification of high potential organizations and
alliance formation,
- Advocacy with leaders of these communities,
- Capacity building of members of these
organizations,
- Strengthening outreach communication,
- Meeting with cultural or religious leaders prior
to project implementation.

Component 2 and 3

Low community Low Mediu Justification: Issues related to the motivation of

involvement at the m communities for their effective involvement in the
grassroots level implementation of interventions could be an obstacle to
the implementation of project activities
Action
- Undertake outreach to beneficiary communities
to explain the project, its comparative
advantages and expectations of them.

Community fatigue in the Low Mediu Justification: The communities and youth targeted by
face of numerous requests m the project may be reluctant to participate because of
for different projects the many demands placed on them.
Actions
- Engage in discussions with targeted
communities and youth to convince them of the
value and benefits of participating in this
project.

Component 4

Weak collaboration of Low
the public structures
Mediu Justification: The "project" designation could create a
m monetary expectation and weaken the collaboration of
health structures with NGOs involved in offering FP
services to groups and associations.
Action
- Involve local stakeholders in the project before
it starts.

39