Country fact sheet: Benin
Women’s rights in law and practice in Benin: key indicators, treaties, ten laws and their gaps, recent developments and reforms recommended.
Last updated · October 30, 2026
Country fact sheet · Benin · women’s rights in law and practice
Read from RFLD’s Benin legal profile, October 2026. “Gaps recorded” means a treaty body, the government or national organisations have reported shortcomings in the law or its application.
Treaty commitments
| Maputo Protocol | signed 11/02/2004 / ratified 30/09/2005 / deposited 13/10/2005 |
| CEDAW | signed 11 Nov 1981 / ratified 12 Mar 1992 |
| CEDAW Optional Protocol | signed 25 May 2000 / ratified 27 Sep 2019 |
| African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child | signed 27/02/1992 / ratified 17/04/1997 / deposited 30/05/1997 |
Ten laws that matter for women, and their gaps
| Topic | Law | Gaps recorded |
|---|---|---|
| Gender-based and domestic violence | Loi n° 2011-26 du 9 janvier 2012 portant prévention et répression des violences faites aux femmes | A 2022 government study found no Beninese law defines gender-based violence, and only 9.5% of people surveyed believed the laws were applied. |
| Rape and sexual offences | Loi n° 2021-11 du 20 décembre 2021 portant dispositions spéciales de répression des infractions commises à raison du sexe des personnes et de protection de la femme (amending the 2018 Penal Code); Loi n° 2011-26 | The CEDAW Committee (2013) raised implementation delays and low awareness of the marital rape provision. |
| Female genital mutilation | Loi n° 2003-03 (2003) prohibiting female genital mutilation; Penal Code art. 524 as amended by Law 2021-11 | The CEDAW Committee (2013) noted few investigations, prosecutions or convictions and cross-border practice; in 2024 it again urged action to eliminate FGM. |
| Child marriage and age of marriage | Loi n° 2002-07 du 24 août 2004 portant Code des personnes et de la famille; Loi n° 2021-11 (Penal Code arts. 553-2 and 553-3) | – |
| Family and personal status | Loi n° 2002-07 du 24 août 2004 portant Code des personnes et de la famille | The CEDAW Committee (2013) noted that de facto polygamous unions persist despite the prohibition. |
| Land and property | Loi n° 2013-01 du 14 août 2013 portant Code foncier et domanial (arts. 14 and 316), as amended; Code des personnes et de la famille art. 185 | – |
| Abortion and sexual and reproductive health | Loi n° 2003-04 (2003) on sexual and reproductive health, as amended by Loi n° 2021-12 | Afyanahaki reports no implementing decree clarifying access conditions, approved facilities and costs. |
| Political participation and quotas | Constitution as revised in 2019 (24 reserved seats); electoral code as revised in 2024 | The CEDAW Committee in October 2024 recommended legal reform to require 50:50 parity in all decision-making positions. Women held 2 of 25 seats (8%) in the new Senate in July 2026. |
| Human rights defenders | No specific law | – |
| Online violence and cybercrime | Code du numérique (2018) | The 2022 government GBV study found no specific definition of cyber-violence or online harassment against women. |
Recent developments
- 11 January 2026. Legislative elections: 28 women elected to the 109-seat National Assembly (25.7%).
- 12 November 2024. Benin deposited ratification of the AU Malabo Convention.
- 30 October 2024. CEDAW Committee adopted concluding observations on Benin’s fifth periodic report, recommending 50:50 parity in decision-making, more shelters and stronger action on FGM.
- 20 June 2024. Benin acceded to the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime (in force 1 October 2024).
Reforms recommended
- Require 50:50 gender parity in all elected and appointed decision-making positions, including the new Senate (CEDAW Committee, 2024).
- Adopt the implementing decree for Law 2021-12 so that legal abortion services, approved facilities and costs are clearly defined (Afyanahaki).
- Enforce the FGM, child and forced marriage provisions of Law 2021-11 through investigations and prosecutions, and expand shelters and support services for survivors (CEDAW Committee, 2013 and 2024).
- Add legal definitions of gender-based violence and of online violence against women to national law (Government of Benin GBV study, 2022).
- Provide State-funded legal aid for women survivors of violence (CEDAW Committee, 2013).
Laws on sexual violence adopted since 2020
RFLD and its member organisations contributed to the advocacy behind these laws in Benin:
- Décret n° 2024-1275 du 23 octobre 2024 portant réglementation de l’aide juridique (2024). Organises legal aid, a condition for survivors to reach the courts.
- Loi n° 2021-11 du 20 décembre 2021 portant dispositions spéciales de répression des infractions commises à raison du sexe des personnes et de protection de la femme (2021). Defines rape (5 to 10 years, life where the victim is under 13), sexual harassment, FGM and forced or early marriage (10 to 20 years).
- Loi n° 2021-12 du 20 décembre 2021 modifiant la loi n° 2003-04 sur la santé sexuelle et la reproduction (2021). Widens legal access to safe abortion, including after rape or incest and on request up to 12 weeks in cases of distress.
See all 13 laws in the register of laws and policies we helped change.
RFLD in Benin
Benin is one of the eight countries of RFLD’s Afrofeminist Initiative for Human Rights Development in Francophone West Africa, supported by the SEA-T programme (GIZ, on behalf of BMZ). See our countries of work and the West Africa legal scorecard 2026.
Sources and updates
Every entry comes from RFLD’s Benin legal profile, which cites the official text or source for each line. Last checked: October 2026. Corrections: programs@rflgd.org.
Frequently asked questions
Has Benin ratified the Maputo Protocol?
Yes. Benin’s status is: signed 11/02/2004 / ratified 30/09/2005 / deposited 13/10/2005.
What is the minimum age of marriage in Benin?
The minimum age of marriage is 18 for both sexes. Law 2021-11 punishes organising or contracting forced or early marriage with 10 to 20 years’ imprisonment. (Loi n° 2002-07 du 24 août 2004 portant Code des personnes et de la famille; Loi n° 2021-11 (Penal Code arts. 553-2 and 553-3))
Is female genital mutilation banned in Benin?
Loi n° 2003-03 (2003) prohibiting female genital mutilation; Penal Code art. 524 as amended by Law 2021-11. Prohibits FGM; under Law 2021-11 it carries 6 months to 3 years, 3 to 5 years where the victim is a minor, and life imprisonment if the victim dies. Gap recorded: The CEDAW Committee (2013) noted few investigations, prosecutions or convictions and cross-border practice; in 2024 it again urged action to eliminate FGM.
Does Benin have a law on violence against women?
Loi n° 2011-26 du 9 janvier 2012 portant prévention et répression des violences faites aux femmes. Defines and punishes violence against women, including domestic violence, marital rape, forced marriage and FGM, and set up listening centres in Social Promotion Centres. Gap recorded: A 2022 government study found no Beninese law defines gender-based violence, and only 9.5% of people surveyed believed the laws were applied.
Does Benin have a gender quota?
Constitution as revised in 2019 (24 reserved seats); electoral code as revised in 2024. Reserves one National Assembly seat per constituency for women (24 of 109).
Cite and share
How to cite: RFLD (2026). Country fact sheet: Benin. Réseau des Femmes Leaders pour le Développement. https://rflgd.org/country-fact-sheets/benin-fact-sheet/ (accessed [date]).
Free to quote and share with attribution. Corrections: programs@rflgd.org.
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