Author : U. S. Department of State
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9781481211536
Total Pages : 24 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (115 download)
Book Synopsis Report on Human Rights Practices for 2011 the Country of Benin by : U. S. Department of State
Download or read book Report on Human Rights Practices for 2011 the Country of Benin written by U. S. Department of State and published by . This book was released on 2012-12-09 with total page 24 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Benin is a constitutional democracy. On March 13, President Boni Yayi won a second, and final, five-year term in multiparty elections. In the April 30 legislative elections, President Yayi's supporting coalition, Cowry Force for an Emerging Benin, won 41 of 83 seats in the National Assembly and formed a majority coalition with the Renaissance of Benin Party and other minor supporting parties for a total of 61 seats. As a result the coalition controlled the Bureau of the National Assembly with six of the seven seats. International observers viewed both the presidential and legislative elections as free, fair, and transparent. Security forces reported to civilian authorities. Three main human rights abuses reported during the year included police use of excessive force; violence and discrimination against women and girls, including female genital mutilation (FGM); and harsh prison conditions. Other major human rights problems included arbitrary arrest and detention with prolonged pretrial detention. Vigilante violence occurred, as did trafficking and abuse of children, including infanticide and child labor. Although the government made an effort to control corruption and abuses, including prosecuting and punishing public officials, officials sometimes engaged in corrupt practices with impunity.