Human rights in Benin
De human-rights matter for Benin be like how e dey generally fine pass for sub-Saharan Africa.
One 2012 U.S. report praise Benin say dem dey continue to change go democracy well-well, and dem happy for how dem dey do law work to stop and punish domestic violence against women, corruption for government, torture, and oda bad thing dem. Dem also happy say Benin don set up human rights dem body dem like human rights Ombudsman and de National Council wey dey push Gender Equity and Equality."
De report still dey worry for some tins like how security people dem, including police, dey do plenti bad things and dey abuse people, plus how prison condition dem hard well-well and how people for court dem dey wait long time before dem trial dem start. The report still talk say public workers no get plenti chance to do strike because government dey stop am and dem dey talk bad talk about union people, and dat one dey make social gbege and protest plenty. The report also talk say government slow to solve de najah bad tin about child labor.[1]
Historical background
[edit | edit source]| Year | Political rights |
Civil liberties |
Status | President |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 7 | 5 | Not Free | Mathieu Kérékou |
| 1973 | 7 | 5 | Not Free | Mathieu Kérékou |
| 1974 | 7 | 6 | Not Free | Mathieu Kérékou |
| 1975 | 7 | 7 | Not Free | Mathieu Kérékou |
| 1976 | 7 | 7 | Not Free | Mathieu Kérékou |
| 1977 | 7 | 7 | Not Free | Mathieu Kérékou |
| 1978 | 7 | 7 | Not Free | Mathieu Kérékou |
| 1979 | 7 | 6 | Not Free | Mathieu Kérékou |
| 1980 | 7 | 6 | Not Free | Mathieu Kérékou |
| 1981 | 7 | 6 | Not Free | Mathieu Kérékou |
| 1982 | 7 | 6 | Not Free | Mathieu Kérékou |
| 1983 | 7 | 6 | Not Free | Mathieu Kérékou |
| 1984 | 7 | 7 | Not Free | Mathieu Kérékou |
| 1985 | 7 | 7 | Not Free | Mathieu Kérékou |
| 1986 | 7 | 7 | Not Free | Mathieu Kérékou |
| 1987 | 7 | 7 | Not Free | Mathieu Kérékou |
| 1988 | 7 | 7 | Not Free | Mathieu Kérékou |
| 1989 | 7 | 7 | Not Free | Mathieu Kérékou |
| 1990 | 6 | 4 | Partly Free | Mathieu Kérékou |
| 1991 | 2 | 3 | Free | Nicéphore Soglo |
| 1992 | 2 | 3 | Free | Nicéphore Soglo |
| 1993 | 2 | 3 | Free | Nicéphore Soglo |
| 1994 | 2 | 3 | Free | Nicéphore Soglo |
| 1995 | 2 | 2 | Free | Nicéphore Soglo |
| 1996 | 2 | 2 | Free | Mathieu Kérékou |
| 1997 | 2 | 2 | Free | Mathieu Kérékou |
| 1998 | 2 | 2 | Free | Mathieu Kérékou |
| 1999 | 2 | 3 | Free | Mathieu Kérékou |
| 2000 | 2 | 2 | Free | Mathieu Kérékou |
| 2001 | 3 | 2 | Free | Mathieu Kérékou |
| 2002 | 3 | 2 | Free | Mathieu Kérékou |
| 2003 | 2 | 2 | Free | Mathieu Kérékou |
| 2004 | 2 | 2 | Free | Mathieu Kérékou |
| 2005 | 2 | 2 | Free | Mathieu Kérékou |
| 2006 | 2 | 2 | Free | Yayi Boni |
| 2007 | 2 | 2 | Free | Yayi Boni |
| 2008 | 2 | 2 | Free | Yayi Boni |
| 2009 | 2 | 2 | Free | Yayi Boni |
| 2010 | 2 | 2 | Free | Yayi Boni |
| 2011 | 2 | 2 | Free | Yayi Boni |
| 2012[2] | 2 | 2 | Free | Yayi Boni |
| 2013[3] | 2 | 2 | Free | Yayi Boni |
| 2014[4] | 2 | 2 | Free | Yayi Boni |
| 2015 | 2 | 2 | Free | Yayi Boni |
| 2016 | 2 | 2 | Free | Yayi Boni |
| 2017 | 2 | 2 | Free | Patrice Talon |
| 2018 | 2 | 2 | Free | Patrice Talon |
| 2019 | 4 | 2 | Partly Free | Patrice Talon |
| 2020 | 4 | 2 | Partly Free | Patrice Talon |
| 2021 | 5 | 3 | Partly Free | Patrice Talon |
| 2022 | 5 | 3 | Partly Free | Patrice Talon |
| 2023 | 4 | 3 | Partly Free | Patrice Talon |
Before, Benin be French people dem colony wey dem dey call Dahomey, wey chop ein independence for 1960. From 1972 go reach 1990, e be like Marxist-Leninist state wey one diktator dey rule wey ein name be Mathieu Kérékou, wey he take power through coup. Time wey Kérékou dey rule, nobody dey fit talk ein mind, newspaper people no get freedom, plus human rights sef, e no dey sweet at all. For 1975, dem change de name go put People's Republic of Benin. "For 1990 inside, dem commot de word "People's" from de country ein official name,[5] den for December 1991, dem ratify new constitution wey ein aim be say e go establish nation wey "law go dey rule, plus fundamental rights, public freedom, human respect, den justice dey guaranteed, protected wey dem dey push am forward as de ting wey go make every Benin citizen develop well"[6]. For de new constitution wey come, democracy come back Benin for 1991. That same year election dey go on, Kérékou lose give Nicéphore Soglo, but e gree say that be de vote wey dem do. E come get power again for de 1996 election, then dem vote am again for 2001; de 2006 election inside, Kérékou no run, plus people talk say e be free and fair.[5] Since 1991 dey come, people dey see Benin ein human rights record as top-notch for Africa here. Dem talk say Benin be like, "one of the correctest democracies for Africa", but the human rights NGOs plenty for inside, wey dem start since the change-change time, "dem no dey link up together." So, "e dey normal for groups wey dey work same area say dem no know demma self", wey dey make dem dey "duplicate work".[5] For di 47th Ordinary Session wey African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights do for 2010, Benin ein Attorney General, Victor Topanou talk say "today e clear say government dey wan make human rights matter go well", e talk about how dem dey try reduce poverty with small small loan, how dem dey build new court and jail so people go fit get justice, plus how dem dey give prisoners plenty food den better health care.[7]
Benin be signatory of de following international agreements: African (Banjul) Charter wey de talk on Human den People's Rights; agreement wey dey against torture plus Other Cruel, Inhumane, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment; Dem dey insyde agreement wey dey fight make dem no discriminate against women, dey protect children right, dey fight against all forms of racial discrimination. As e dey be so, dem dey insyde agreement wey dey talk about better life for everybody, wey dey talk about how people go chop, get house plus dey go school. Dem dey insyde agreement wey dey make sure say everybody get right for talk plus do wetin dem want.[8]
See, dis be chart wey dey show how Benin dey since 1972 for insyde Freedom for de World report. Freedom House dey drop am every year. Number 1 mean 'free', number 7 mean 'you no dey free'.[9]1
Basic rights
[edit | edit source]Wey dem dey do discrimination base on race, gender, disability, language, den how person dey, constitution no dey allow am at all; buh still, women den people wey get disability dey face discrimination, plus government no dey do shishi about am.[10]
Even though Benin ein constitution dey talk say everybody get right to talk plus journalists fit do their thing, sometimes e dey be like dem dey deny people dat right. Dem say government ein radio plus TV office (ORTB) dey block broadcast wey dey criticize de government. For 2010 insyde, government block French radio station signal because dem report say some National Assembly people dey try remove President Yayi from office. Den dem say government people go buy newspaper plenty wey dey talk about chop-chop matter. Plenty journalist dey do self-censorship, plus dem sue some for libel matter, but judge dem no dey too like prosecute dem. If you misuse freedom of speech, dem fit jail you plus hard labour. But still, media dey active dey criticize government, but e no reach far 'cause people no dey read too much. Government own de main news media. Government dey help some private media too.
References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ "UPR 14th Session – Intervention for Benin". Office of Policy Planning and Public Diplomacy, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, U.S. Department of State. Archived from the original on February 27, 2013. Retrieved January 11, 2013.
- ↑ Freedom House (2013). "Freedom in the World 2013: Democratic Breakthroughs in the Balance" (PDF).
- ↑ Freedom House (2014). "Freedom in the World 2014" (PDF).
- ↑ Freedom House (2015). "Freedom in the World 2015" (PDF).
- 1 2 3 "The Status of Human Rights Organizations in Sub-Saharan Africa Benin". University of Minnesota Human Rights Library. Retrieved January 11, 2013.
- ↑ "Human Rights Violations in Benin". UNHCR. Retrieved January 11, 2013.
- ↑ "Statement by the Attorney General of the Republic of Benin, Minister of Justice, Legislation and Human Rights, and Government Spokesperson, Hon Mr. Victor Topanou". African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights. Archived from the original on January 19, 2013. Retrieved January 11, 2013.
- ↑ "Human Rights". Matrix. Archived from the original on July 10, 2011. Retrieved January 11, 2013.
- ↑ Freedom House (2024). "Country and Territory Ratings and Statuses, FIW 1973-2024" (XLS). Retrieved 21 December 2024.
- ↑ "2010 Human Rights Report: Benin". U.S. Department of State. Retrieved January 11, 2013.
External links
[edit | edit source]- 2012 Annual Report Archived January 21, 2015, at the Wayback Machine, by Amnesty International
- Freedom in the World 2012 Report Archived June 1, 2017, at the Wayback Machine, by Freedom House