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Human Rights In Benin
The human-rights situation in Benin is considered to be generally above average for sub-Saharan Africa. A 2012 U.S. report commended Benin "for continuing the transition to democracy" and applauded "the legislative work of recent years to pass and enforce laws regarding domestic violence against women, official corruption, torture, and other crimes", as well as "the establishment of human rights institutions including the human rights Ombudsman and the National Council for the Promotion of Gender Equity and Equality". The report expressed continued concern, however, "about continuing reports of high levels of violence and abuse by security services, including the police, as well as harsh prison conditions and long pre-trial detention periods", as well as "by reports of serious restrictions on the right to strike in the public sector and authorities' frequent anti-union statements, fueling social tensions and protest actions". In addition, the report noted "the government's slo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Freedom In The World
''Freedom in the World'' is a yearly survey and report by the U.S.-based non-governmental organization Freedom House that measures the degree of civil liberties and political rights in every nation and significant related and disputed territories around the world. Origin and use ''Freedom in the World'' was launched in 1973 by Raymond Gastil. It produces annual scores representing the levels of political rights and civil liberties in each state and territory, on a scale from 1 (most free) to 7 (least free). Depending on the ratings, the nations are then classified as "Free", "Partly Free", or "Not Free". The report is often used by researchers in order to measure democracy and correlates highly with several other measures of democracy such as the Polity data series. The Freedom House rankings are widely reported in the media and used as sources by political researchers. Their construction and use has been evaluated by critics and supporters. Country rankings The ranking ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Amnesty International
Amnesty International (also referred to as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization focused on human rights, with its headquarters in the United Kingdom. The organization says that it has more than ten million members and supporters around the world. The stated mission of the organization is to campaign for "a world in which every person enjoys all of the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights instruments". The organization has played a notable role on human rights issues due to its frequent citation in media and by world leaders. AI was founded in London in 1961 by the lawyer Peter Benenson. In what he called "The Forgotten Prisoners" and "An Appeal for Amnesty", which appeared on the front page of the British newspaper ''The Observer'', Benenson wrote about two students who toasted to freedom in Portugal and four other people who had been jailed in other nations because of their beliefs ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Politics Of Benin
The Politics of Benin take place in the framework of a presidential representative democratic republic, where in the President of Benin is both head of state and head of government, and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the legislature. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. The current political system is derived from the 1990 Constitution of Benin and the subsequent transition to democracy in 1991. Development of political system From the 17th century until the colonial period, the Kingdom of Dahomey (whose borders encompassed more than present day Benin) was ruled by an "Oba". The French were the colonial power from 1892 to 1960, when independence was finally achieved. Between 1960 and 1972, a series of military coups in Benin (known until 1975 as the Republic of Dahomey) brought about many changes of government. The last of these brought Major Math ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
LGBT Rights In Benin
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people in Benin face legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBTQ residents. Although same-sex sexual acts for both men and women are legal in Benin, homosexuals continue to face widespread persecution and are rarely open about their sexuality. They are also considered by many as deviants, and homosexuality is often called a disease brought by white people to the country. LGBTQ persons additionally face stigmatization among the broader population. Since 2018, there is limited protection against Incitement to hatred and violence based on sexual orientation. Law regarding same-sex sexual activity Same-sex sexual acts are legal in Benin between consenting adults. Article 545 of the new Penal Code in force since 2018, establishes greater penalties for anyone who has committed an indecent or unnatural act with a minor of the same sex. However, the age of sexual consent is equal regardless of sex. Previously, article 331 of the o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Human Trafficking In Benin
Human trafficking in Benin is a significant issue, with the country serving as a source, transit, and destination point for victims. Traffickers often exploit vulnerable women and children from impoverished northern regions, transporting them to urban centers in the south for forced labour or sexual exploitation. Domestic trafficking is more prevalent than cross-border cases, though Beninese victims have been identified in countries such as Nigeria, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo. Reports U.S. Department of State's Trafficking in Persons Report The 2023 Trafficking in Persons Report highlighted that the Beninese government identified 1,451 trafficking victims, comprising 1,214 labour trafficking victims and 237 victims of unspecified forms of trafficking. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) According to a UNODC report, Benin established the specific offense of child trafficking in 2006. However, the law did not cover trafficking in persons above the ag ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Freedom Of Religion In Benin
The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally respected this right in practice. There were no reports of societal abuses or discrimination based on religious belief or practice, and prominent societal leaders took positive steps to promote religious freedom. Religious demography According to the 2002 census, 27.1 percent of the population is Roman Catholic, 24.4 percent Muslim, 17.3 percent Vodun, 5 percent Celestial Christian, 3.2 percent Methodist, 7.5 percent other Christian, 6 percent other traditional local religious groups, 1.9 percent other religious groups, and 6.5 percent claim no religious affiliation. Foreign missionary groups operate freely in the country. In 2020, the population of Benin was 52.2% Christian, 24.6% Muslim, 17.9% Animist and 5.3% following other faiths or none. Status of religious freedom Legal and policy framework The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Arbitrary Arrest And Detention
Arbitrary arrest and detention is the arrest and detention of an individual in a case in which there is no likelihood or evidence that they committed a crime against legal statute, or in which there has been no proper due process of law or order. Arbitrary arrest and detention is similar to but legally distinct from wrongful detention, which is broader in scope and does not involve arrest. Background Virtually all individuals who are arbitrarily arrested are given no explanation as to why they are being arrested, and they are not shown any arrest warrant. Depending on the social context, many or the vast majority of arbitrarily arrested individuals may be held incommunicado and their whereabouts can be concealed from their family, associates, the public population and open trial courts. International law Arbitrarily depriving an individual of their liberty is prohibited under international human rights law. Article 9 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights decrees th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Female Genital Mutilation
Female genital mutilation (FGM) (also known as female genital cutting, female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) and female circumcision) is the cutting or removal of some or all of the vulva for non-medical reasons. Prevalence of female genital mutilation, FGM prevalence varies worldwide, but is majorly present in some countries of Africa, Asia and Middle East, and within their diasporas. , UNICEF estimates that worldwide 230 million girls and women (144 million in Africa, 80 million in Asia, 6 million in Middle East, and 1-2 million in other parts of the world) had been subjected to Female genital mutilation#Types, one or more types of FGM. Typically carried out by a traditional cutter using a blade, FGM is conducted from days after birth to puberty and beyond. In half of the countries for which national statistics are available, most girls are cut before the age of five. Procedures differ according to the country or ethnic group. They include removal of the clitoral hood ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Forced Marriage
Forced marriage is a marriage in which one or more of the parties is married without their consent or against their will. A marriage can also become a forced marriage even if both parties enter with full consent if one or both are later forced to stay in the marriage against their will. A forced marriage differs from an arranged marriage, in which both parties presumably consent to the assistance of their parents or a third party such as a matchmaking, matchmaker in finding and choosing a spouse. There is often a continuum of coercion used to compel a marriage, ranging from outright physical violence to subtle psychological pressure. Though now widely condemned by international opinion, forced marriages still take place in various cultures across the world, particularly in parts of South Asia and Africa. Some scholars object to use of the term "forced marriage" because it invokes the consensual legitimating language of marriage (such as husband/wife) for an experience that is ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Polygamy
Polygamy (from Late Greek , "state of marriage to many spouses") is the practice of marriage, marrying multiple spouses. When a man is married to more than one wife at the same time, it is called polygyny. When a woman is married to more than one husband at the same time, it is called polyandry. In sociobiology and zoology, researchers use ''polygamy'' in a broad sense to mean any form of multiple mating. In contrast to polygamy, monogamy is marriage consisting of only two parties. Like "monogamy", the term "polygamy" is often used in a ''de facto'' sense, applied regardless of whether a State (polity), state recognizes the relationship.For the extent to which states can and do recognize potentially and actual polygamous forms as valid, see Conflict of marriage laws. In many countries, the law only recognises monogamous marriages (a person can only have one spouse, and bigamy is illegal), but adultery is not illegal, leading to a situation of ''de facto'' polygamy being allo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Freedom Of Assembly
Freedom of assembly, sometimes used interchangeably with the freedom of association, is the individual right or ability of individuals to peaceably assemble and collectively express, promote, pursue, and defend their ideas. The right to freedom of assembly is recognized as a human right, a Political freedom, political right and a Civil liberties, civil liberty. The terms ''freedom of assembly'' and ''freedom of association'' may be used to distinguish between the freedom to assemble in public places and the freedom to join an association. Freedom of assembly is often used in the context of the right to protest, while freedom of association is used in the context of labor rights. The Constitution of the United States is interpreted to mean both the freedom to assemble and the freedom to join an association. Human rights instruments Freedom of assembly is included in, among others, the following human rights instruments: * Universal Declaration of Human Rights – Article 20 * ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
