Freedom of religion in Benin
Encyclopedia
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.
, 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.
The Constitutional Court determines the legal guidelines that govern religious practice. In recent years this court determined that it is illegal to block the access of any group to its religious services and that criticism of religious belief is a protected free speech right.
The Defense Ministry is permitted to intervene in conflicts between religious groups as a peacekeeping force to ensure public order and social peace, provided that the intervention complies with the principle of state neutrality in the management of religious affairs.
Persons who wish to form a religious group must register with the Ministrry of the Interior. Registration requirements are the same for all religious groups, and there were no reports that any group was refused permission to register or subjected to unusual delays or obstacles in the registration process. Religious groups are free from taxation.
Government officials accorded respect to prominent leaders of all religious groups by attending their induction ceremonies, funerals, and other religious celebrations. The President regularly received leaders of all religious groups, and police forces were assigned to provide security to any religious event upon request.
In accordance with article 2 of the Constitution
, which provides for a secular state, public schools are not authorized to provide religious instruction. Religious groups are permitted to establish private schools.
National holidays include the Christian holy days of Easter Monday
, Ascension Day, Whit Monday
, Assumption Day, All Saints' Day, and Christmas
; the Islamic holy days of Ramadan
, Tabaski, and the Birth of the Prophet Muhammad; and the indigenous celebration of Traditional Religions holiday. State-operated television featured coverage of the celebration of religious holidays and special events in the lives of prominent religious leaders, including ordination anniversaries and funerals.
Soon after his inauguration, the President received leaders and representatives of Christian, Muslim, and traditional indigenous religious groups, respectively.
Ecumenical Day is celebrated every first Wednesday of May and traditionally includes a large celebration of interreligious cooperation in the historic town of Ouidah
. Individual religious leaders make an effort to bridge the divide between Christians and Muslims and preach a message of tolerance.
Constitution of Benin
The Constitution of Benin was adopted by referendum on 2 December 1990.-External links:** from the listing of "International Humanitarian Law - National Implementation" from the International Committee of the Red Cross...
provides for freedom of religion
Freedom of religion
Freedom of religion is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or community, in public or private, to manifest religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship, and observance; the concept is generally recognized also to include the freedom to change religion or not to follow any...
, and the Government generally respected this right in practice. There were no reports of societal abuses or discrimination
Religious discrimination
Religious discrimination is valuing or treating a person or group differently because of what they do or do not believe.A concept like that of 'religious discrimination' is necessary to take into account ambiguities of the term religious persecution. The infamous cases in which people have been...
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 MuslimMuslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
, 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.
Legal and policy framework
The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally respected this right in practice. The Government at all levels sought to protect this right in full and did not tolerate its abuse, either by governmental or private actors. There is no state-sponsored religion.The Constitutional Court determines the legal guidelines that govern religious practice. In recent years this court determined that it is illegal to block the access of any group to its religious services and that criticism of religious belief is a protected free speech right.
The Defense Ministry is permitted to intervene in conflicts between religious groups as a peacekeeping force to ensure public order and social peace, provided that the intervention complies with the principle of state neutrality in the management of religious affairs.
Persons who wish to form a religious group must register with the Ministrry of the Interior. Registration requirements are the same for all religious groups, and there were no reports that any group was refused permission to register or subjected to unusual delays or obstacles in the registration process. Religious groups are free from taxation.
Government officials accorded respect to prominent leaders of all religious groups by attending their induction ceremonies, funerals, and other religious celebrations. The President regularly received leaders of all religious groups, and police forces were assigned to provide security to any religious event upon request.
In accordance with article 2 of the Constitution
Constitution of Benin
The Constitution of Benin was adopted by referendum on 2 December 1990.-External links:** from the listing of "International Humanitarian Law - National Implementation" from the International Committee of the Red Cross...
, which provides for a secular state, public schools are not authorized to provide religious instruction. Religious groups are permitted to establish private schools.
National holidays include the Christian holy days of Easter Monday
Easter Monday
Easter Monday is the day after Easter Sunday and is celebrated as a holiday in some largely Christian cultures, especially Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox cultures...
, Ascension Day, Whit Monday
Whit Monday
Whit Monday or Pentecost Monday is the holiday celebrated the day after Pentecost, a movable feast in the Christian calendar. It is movable because it is determined by the date of Easter....
, Assumption Day, All Saints' Day, and Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
; the Islamic holy days of Ramadan
Ramadan
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which lasts 29 or 30 days. It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex during daylight hours and is intended to teach Muslims about patience, spirituality, humility and...
, Tabaski, and the Birth of the Prophet Muhammad; and the indigenous celebration of Traditional Religions holiday. State-operated television featured coverage of the celebration of religious holidays and special events in the lives of prominent religious leaders, including ordination anniversaries and funerals.
Soon after his inauguration, the President received leaders and representatives of Christian, Muslim, and traditional indigenous religious groups, respectively.
Ecumenical Day is celebrated every first Wednesday of May and traditionally includes a large celebration of interreligious cooperation in the historic town of Ouidah
Ouidah
Ouidah , also Whydah or Juda, is a city on the Atlantic coast of Benin.The commune covers an area of 364 square kilometres and as of 2002 had a population of 76,555 people.-History:...
. Individual religious leaders make an effort to bridge the divide between Christians and Muslims and preach a message of tolerance.