Socio anthropological practice of infanticide: baatombu in benin

The infanticide of Baatombu is a ritual practice that raises faiths, myths and local representations. To analyze its various characteristics and foundation, we drew on the reports of seminaries (seminars), workshops, drills organized by NGO (non-governmental organizations), national and international documents, and we questioned about ten people as resources. After analyzing all of this information, we found that the phenomenon of the infanticide is practiced in several cultures: Europe, Asia, and Africa. In Benin, an analysis of the phenomenon showed that, under the influence of the faiths and myths, children being born in abnormal conditions are accused of witchcraft. In these circumstances, the incriminated children are either eliminated by the executioners or repairers, or marginalized or abandoned in bad weather. At best, they are freed of the evil “that they shelter,” in the hopes of full recovery, by a person of willingness or a charitable organization. This practice has fatal consequences psychological, economic, and social to both the family and society. In spite of a legal and institutional environment suited for the protection of the children and the raising of awareness, the infanticide still persists in zones moved back by Benin.