Vicentia Boco

Last updated

It is together that we will fight this fight. We have to teach our men to respect us.

— Vicentia Boco (2020)

Despite her experiences as a minister, Boco continued to share a positive relationship with Boni, serving as his advisor again during the 2011 presidential election. In 2009, Boni appointed Boco as president of the newly established Institut national pour la promotion de la femme (INPF). [3] [7]

Boco led the INFP in preparing reports and studies into the experiences of Beninese women, which were subsequently used as guidance by the Ministry of Planning and Foresight. [2] Boco publicly advocated for keeping girls in education, stating that this would lead to them advancing successfully in Beninese society. [6]

While initially supportive of Boni's presidential pledge of having 30% of members of the National Assembly as being women, she also called on him to ensure women were offered leadership roles on every level, including regional and local politics, as well as decentralised decision-making bodies. [6] In 2016, Patrice Talon succeeded Boni as president of Benin; while Boco remained in her role within the INPF, she later reported feeling that Talon's government was not as interested in promoting women's rights as the previous cabinet. [7]

Boco was critical of the diminished role of women in government following the 2019 election, wherein only eight women were elected. [8] [9] She felt subsequent amendments to the Beninese constitution, which promised to reserve 24 seats in the National Assembly for women, were unsatisfactory, pointing out that this only accounted for 22% of seats in the chamber; she also voiced concern that parties would no longer field female candidates for the remaining 85 seats as a result, further hampering increasing women's presence in politics. [5]

Outside of leadership, Boco also called for greater support for victims of domestic abuse, stating that prison sentences for perpetrators did not help their partners and children, with her feeling a more holistic approach was needed. [5]

In 2021, the government, led by Talon, took over the INPF, renaming it the Institut national de la femme. Boco did not continue in her role. [5]

Subsequent events

In 2021, Boco was selected to organise the funeral of former First Lady Rosine Vieyra Soglo, in recognition of her work around the emancipation of women. [10] [11]

In 2022, Boco criticsed the twenty-year prison sentence given to opposition politician Reckya Madougou, warning the government against using her sentencing as a deterrent against dissent. [5]

Honours

Related Research Articles

The History of Benin since the 16th century, for the geographical area included in 1960 in what was then called the Republic of Dahomey before becoming the People's Republic of Benin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nicéphore Soglo</span> Beninese politician

Nicéphore Dieudonné Soglo is a Beninese politician who was Prime Minister of Benin from 1990 to 1991 and President from 1991 to 1996. He was Mayor of Cotonou from 2003 to 2015. Soglo was married to Rosine Vieyra Soglo, the Beninois former First Lady and politician.

The Benin Rebirth Party is a liberal political party in Benin. The party was founded on 24 March 1992 by then-First Lady Rosine Vieyra Soglo, who became the first Beninese woman to establish a new political party. The party was also headed by Vieyra Soglo after its foundation. It is led by Nicéphore Soglo, who was President of Benin from 1991 to 1996 and later Mayor of Cotonou.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rosine Vieyra Soglo</span> Beninese politician (1934–2021)

Rosine Honorine Vieyra Soglo was a Beninese politician. Soglo served as First Lady of Benin from 1991 to 1996 during the presidency of her husband, Nicéphore Soglo. She is considered the first First Lady of the democratic era following Benin's transition to a multi-party democracy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adrien Houngbédji</span> Beninese politician

Adrien Houngbédji is a Beninese politician and the leader of the Democratic Renewal Party, one of Benin's main political parties. He was President of the National Assembly of Benin from 1991 to 1995, Prime Minister of Benin from 1996 to 1998, and President of the National Assembly again from 1999 to 2003. Beginning in 1991, he stood repeatedly as a presidential candidate; he placed second in 2006, but was heavily defeated by Yayi Boni in a second round of voting. From 2015 to 2019, he served for a third time as President of the National Assembly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas Boni Yayi</span> President of Benin from 2006 to 2016

Thomas Boni Yayi is a Beninese banker and politician who was the president of Benin from 2006 to 2016. He took office after winning the March 2006 presidential election and was re-elected to a second term in March 2011. He also served as the chairperson of the African Union from 29 January 2012 to 27 January 2013.

Ganiou Soglo is a Beninese politician of the Benin Rebirth Party (RB) who served in the government for a time as Minister of Culture, Literacy, and the Promotion of National Languages. He is the son of former President Nicéphore Soglo and brother of Léhady Soglo.

Colette Sénami Agossou Houeto is a Beninese educator, feminist poet and politician. She was Minister of Primary and Secondary Education in Boni Yayi's first government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outline of Benin</span> Overview of and topical guide to Benin

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Benin:

Léhady Vinagnon Soglo is a Beninese politician and economist. He was Mayor of Cotonou from 2015 until his dismissal in 2017.

Benin, officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in Western Africa. It borders Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east and Burkina Faso and Niger to the north; its short coastline to the south leads to the Bight of Benin. Its size is just over 110000 km2 with a population of almost 8500000. Its capital is the Yoruba founded city of Porto Novo, but the seat of government is the Fon city of Cotonou. About half the population live below the international poverty line of US$1.25 per day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aurélien Agbénonci</span> Beninese diplomat

Aurélien Agbénonci is a Beninese diplomat who served in the government of Benin as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2016 to 2023. Previously he was Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA).

Grâce d'Almeida Adamon (1951–2005) was a Beninese lawyer, feminist, and human rights activist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patrice Talon</span> President of Benin since 2016

Patrice Guillaume Athanase Talon is a Beninese politician and businessman who has been president of Benin since 6 April 2016.

Marcel Alain de Souza was a Beninese politician and banker. He served as President of the ECOWAS Commission from April 2016 until February 2018. He was Minister for Development, Economic Analysis and Forecast of Benin from May 2011 until June 2015.

Hélène Aholou Keke is a lawyer and politician in Benin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019 Beninese parliamentary election</span>

Parliamentary elections were held in Benin on 28 April 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First Lady of Benin</span>

First Lady of Benin is the title attributed to the wife of the President of Benin. Claudine Talon, wife of Patrice Talon, became first lady on her husband's election as president on April 6, 2016. There had been no "first gentleman", or its equivalent, as of 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chantal Yayi</span> Beninese politician

Chantal de Souza Yayi is a Beninese politician and former First Lady of Benin from 2006 until 2016. She is the wife of former Beninese President Thomas Boni Yayi.

Parliamentary elections were held in Benin on 8 January 2023 to elect all 109 members of the National Assembly. The preliminary results of the election were announced on 11 January.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Déclaration «Sous l'Arbre à Palabres» du Professeur Vicentia Boco, présidente du l'INPF au siège de l'événement précis: «Je suis contre les acteurs politiques qui manipulent les femmes»". L'événement Précis (in French). 12 February 2015. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 "Interview du Professeur Vicentia Boco". SFR e-Bulletin (in French). 12 October 2019. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Tsau, Jean-Pierre (22 July 2019). "Vicentia Boco". JFR (in French). Archived from the original on 22 July 2019. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  4. ↑ Attanasso, Marie-Odile (2013). Femmes et pouvoir politique au Bénin des origines dahoméennes à nos jours (in French). Cotonou: FES. ISBN   9789991914114.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Agossa, Assise (15 March 2022). "Législatives 2023: Vicentia Boco invite les partis au respect du quota 24% de représentativité des femmes". L'événement Précis (in French). Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Gandonou, Médard (29 April 2009). "Entretien avec Vicentia Boco: «C'est dommage que les questions de développment passent en second plan»". L'événement Précis (in French). Archived from the original on 10 September 2018. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  7. 1 2 "Institut de la femme au Bénin: «On n'est pas parti de rien» assure Vicentia Boco". La Nouvelle Tribune . 13 August 2021. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  8. ↑ Gbedo, Janvier (10 December 2019). "Nouvelle Constitution et représentation des femmes: Vicentia Boco, «c'est un occasion ratée»". Matin Libre (in French). Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  9. ↑ Zohoun, Judicaël (11 May 2019). "Vicentia Boco déplore le faible taux de représentativité des femmes". 24 heures au Bénin (in French). Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  10. ↑ Tchalla, Alban (29 August 2021). "Vicentia Boco à propos des polémiques autour des obsèques de Rosine Soglo: «Il n'a pas été retenu un quelconque tissu à porter par les amis et connaissances»". L'événement Précis (in French). Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  11. ↑ Amassiko, Prince (23 August 2021). "Rosine Soglo: Vicentia Boco, présidente du comité d'organisation de ses funérailles". La Nouvelle Tribune (in French). Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  12. 1 2 3 4 Kossouho, Laurent D. (18 October 2019). "Journées Françaises de Radiologie: Vincentia Boco élue membre d'honneur de la Société Française de Radiologie". L'événement Précis (in French). Retrieved 6 May 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
Vicentia Boco
Vicentia Boco.jpg
Illustration of Boco
Minister of Higher Education and Research
In office
2007–2008