Vicentia Boco

Vicentia Boco (born 22 January 1949) is a Beninese radiologist, professor, politician, and women's rights activist. A trained doctor who served as professor of medical imaging at the University of Abomey-Calavi and head of radiology at the Centre National Hospitalier Universitaire in Cotonou until her retirement in 2014, politically she was the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research between 2007 and 2008 and president of the Institut national pour la promotion de la femme (INPF) between 2009 and 2021.

Early life and education Boco was born in Natitingou, Atakora Department, in what was then French Dahomey, and was raised in Savi in Atlantique Department, the daughter of two teachers. In 1968, Boco graduated from high school with a bac D in sciences.

In 1968, Boco moved to Belgium to start medical training in radiology, which at the time was not taught in Benin. Boco subsequently restarted her medical studies in France, qualifying as a doctor in 1974 from Paris Descartes University. After receiving further degrees in public health from the University of Nancy and magnetic resonance imaging from the University of Strasbourg, Boco returned to Benin in 1983.

Medical career After returning to Benin, Boco worked as a radiographer. From 1998 until her retirement in 2014, she acted as head of radiology at the Centre National Hospitalier Universitaire in Cotonou.

In addition to her medical work, Boco also taught as professor of medical imaging within the Faculté des Sciences de la Santé at the University of Abomey-Calavi, also in Cotonou until 2014. Her role at the institution led to her being described as the first French-speaking university radiologist in sub-Saharan Africa.

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. 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.

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.

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. Knight of the Legion of Honour of France Commander of the National Order of Benin Honorary Member of the French Society of Radiology (2019)