Freedom of religion in Benin

De Constitution allow am say, everybody get freedom to dey practice any religion wey e like, freedom of religion, and government dey respect dis one well well for inside everyday matter. Nobody complain say societal abuses dey reach am or discrimination dey reach am because of de religion wey e practice, even all de big big people for inside de country dey try for make sure say dis religious freedom dey happen for inside peace.

According to de population count wey dem do for 2002, 27.1 percent of de population be 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, wey 6.5 percent no know dema religion.

Abroad missionary groups dey do dema work for de country insyd free.

Na true. For de 2020 population count dem do for Benin, 52.2% of people be Christians, 24.6% be Muslims, 17.9% dey follow Animist religion and 5.3% dey follow odder faiths or no get any religion.

## How religious freedom dey

### Legal den policy framework
De constitution dey give every person right to dey practice any religion wey dem like. De government dey respect dis right for inside everyday matter. All levels of government dey try well well to protect dis right, and dem no dey allow anybody, whether na government people or private people, to abuse am. No be say one religion be government own.

Na de Constitutional Court be de one wey dey set de rules wey every religious practice for de country suppose follow.

For recent times, dis court don give some important decisions. Dem say e no legal to block any group of people so dem no go fit attend ein own church or religious service. Dem also decide say, if person talk against oder people religious belief, e dey under de free speech wey de law allow.

De Defence Ministry get permission to enter inside matter wey dey happen between religious groups. Dem fit come in as peacekeeping force to make sure public order and peace dey for society. But dis kain intervention get one condition: everything wey dem do must follow de principle wey say de government no suppose take side for any religious matter. Dem just dey there to make peace.

If person want to start new religious group, dem must go register with de Ministry of Interior. De process wey dem take register be de same for all religious groups, and nobody complain say dem refuse to register any group or give dem unnecessary delay for de process. All de religious groups wey register no dey pay tax.

De government people dey show respect to all de big big leaders for every religious group. Dem dey go attend dia inauguration, dem dey go dia funeral and odder big religious celebrations. Even de President dey meet with all dis religious leaders regularly. And if any religious group need police for security for ein event, dem dey assign police go give dem protection any time dem ask.

As Article 2 of de Constitution, talk am say, na secular state wey we dey, so all public schools no dey give religious teaching. But, all religious groups get permission to make dia own private schools if dem wish.

For Christian days, we get Easter Monday, Ascension Day, Whit Monday, Assumption Day, All Saints' Day, and Christmas; wey de Islamic holy days be Ramadan, Tabaski, and de Birthday of Muhammad; Dem also dey celebrate one holiday for de traditional religions. Even for state TV, dem dey show how dem dey celebrate all dis religious holidays and special events for de lives of big religious leaders, like when dem dey mark dia ordination anniversary or when dem die.

Not long after de President swear in, e call meeting and meet with all de leaders and im representatives for de Christian, Muslim, and de traditional religious groups.

Dem dey celebrate Ecumenical Day every first Wednesday for May. For dis day, dem traditionally hold one big celebration wey bring all different religions together for de historic town of Ouidah. De religious leaders demself dey try well well to bring Christians and Muslims together. Dem dey always preach say make we dey tolerate each odder.

### Wahala or limitations for religious freedom.
De way wey de goment dey do ein work and follow de rules help make am say people dey free to practice ein religion well well. No be say dem put any person for prison because of religion. Nobody report say dem dey force person to change from ein religion to anoda.

## How e dey for ground for Benin
No be say dem dey report any kain abuse or discrimination for inside society because of de religion wey person dey practice. Because different families and communities get members wey dey for different religions, tolerance dey everywhere for all levels of society and for all areas for de country. Dem dey always hold meeting for different faiths to talk, and citizens dey respect all religious traditions and practices, even de ones wey mix beliefs together. Plenty people wey dey follow Vodun, dey also be Christian or Muslim at de same time, and dem dey live well with all oder religious groups.

## 2020s
For 2023, dem score Benin 4 out of 4 for how dem dey handle religious freedom matter.

## References


## External links

* International Religious Freedom Report 2007: Benin.  United States Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor.  *This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.*