Benin delivers 1,422 chance equality cards to persons with disabilities

The Benin government has taken another concrete step in its equity and social protection agenda. Social Affairs and Microfinance Minister Véronique Tognifodé has officially handed over 1,422 new Chance Equality Cards to persons with disabilities. This latest batch brings the total number of cards produced by the National Agency for the Identification of Persons (ANIP) to more than 6,100, all delivered to the ministry for gradual distribution across the country.

A legal tool for priority access to public services

Established under Benin’s law on the protection and promotion of the rights of persons with disabilities, the Chance Equality Card is more than a simple administrative ID. It is a legal and social instrument designed to guarantee priority and preferential access to essential services.

• Healthcare: preferential rates and free specific care or orthopedic devices in public health facilities.
• Education and training: exemption or reduction of tuition fees in public institutions and priority access to scholarships and vocational training.
• Transport and employment: easier access to public transport and measures to encourage socio-professional integration in both the public and private sectors.

During the ceremony, Minister Tognifodé reiterated that this initiative aligns with the government’s vision of making vulnerable people true “privileged citizens of the Republic” by breaking down barriers of stigma and economic exclusion.

Data reliability and nationwide rollout

The issuance process relies on strict traceability managed in synergy with ANIP and the network of One-Stop Social Protection Centers (GUPS) deployed in municipalities. Each applicant undergoes a medical assessment by state-approved doctors to formally establish the disability rate and nature before the card is issued.

Representing beneficiaries, the Federation of Associations of Persons with Disabilities of Benin (FAPHB) welcomed the continuity of the program while urging families and rights holders to complete procedures at GUPS to claim their rights. ANIP and the Ministry of Social Affairs are continuing distribution operations in all 12 departments of the country to cover the thousands of files still being processed.

By Pierre Tchuente — Security and Policy Analyst