A scientific day was organized by a consortium of health sector organizations in Cotonou, Benin, on September 26, 2026, to discuss conscience objection in healthcare. The event, held in commemoration of the International Day for Secure Abortion, brought together healthcare professionals, researchers, students, and civil society actors. The objective was to better understand the legal and deontological framework of conscience objection, share field experiences, and identify solutions to encountered difficulties.
The event was opened by Milène Holonou, who emphasized that conscience objection creates tension between healthcare professionals' personal convictions and their responsibility towards patients. She stressed that the scientific day aimed to facilitate dialogue and not to oppose healthcare professionals to their convictions. The goal was to create a space for discussion, not to prosecute conscience objection.
Copernic Tossou, representing Médecins du Monde Suisse in Benin, highlighted the link between access to secure abortion care and the reduction of maternal mortality. He welcomed the theme's relevance and wished participants fruitful reflections. The inaugural conference, led by Teslanik Gbèdonou Houndegnon, focused on the obligations of healthcare professionals who invoke conscience objection.
The conference used a fictional case to illustrate the subject, presenting a 19-year-old woman, Awa, who was eight weeks pregnant and met the legal conditions for a voluntary interruption of pregnancy (IVG). A healthcare professional responded to Awa by saying, "I don't do that." Discussions with participants identified three essential elements: patient information, orientation, and accessibility of care. In Benin, conscience objection is recognized in the context of IVG practice, but it is accompanied by obligations.
Teslanik Gbèdonou Houndegnon emphasized that healthcare professionals can object, but they have an obligation to inform, orient, and follow up. An exercise was conducted to verify participants' understanding, and most agreed that a healthcare professional can refuse to practice IVG for reasons of conscience. However, no one agreed that an objecting healthcare professional would have no obligations towards the patient.
The event also discussed a scenario where a woman presented complications after an unsafe abortion. Participants rejected the possibility of invoking conscience objection in such a situation. The conference speaker recalled that objection concerns the practice of abortion and cannot justify refusal of care to a patient with complications.
The scientific day was organized by several health sector organizations, including Arayaa Santé, the Network of Young Health Professionals pro-Choice (R/Jps), the Network of Young Beninese Midwives (Rjsfb), Medical Students for Choice (Msfc), and the National College of Beninese Gynecologists and Obstetricians (Cngob).
Key points
- The event aimed to facilitate dialogue on conscience objection in healthcare and its implications for secure abortion care in Benin.
- The organizers emphasized that conscience objection must be balanced with the obligations of healthcare professionals to inform, orient, and care for patients.
- The discussions highlighted the importance of access to secure abortion care in reducing maternal mortality in Benin.
