Concerning overcrowding in prisons in particular, apart from the 1000
place prison in Akpo- Misserete which opened on 7th November, 2007, the
Government of Benin through its Budget programme for the 2008-2011
fiscal years plans to build ten (10) new prisons in the following locations :
Allada, Abomey-Calavi, Pobè, Adjohoun, Nikki, Savalou, Comè, Djougou,
Malanville and Covè.
In addition, with the training of paralegals held from 21st to 23rd
November, 2007 the Beninese Government has set in motion the process of
installing an office with a « hot line » at Lokassa to enable citizens better
respect human rights within the community and even report all human
rights violations in their midst for appropriate redress.
III-
OBSTACLES TO THE PROMOTION AND PROTECTION OF
HUMAN RIGHTS IN BENIN
Several factors hamper the promotion and protection of human
rights, namely :
Lack of a national plan for the promotion of human rights ;
Delay in the disbursement of funds allocated by the State to
the sector Ministries such as the departments responsible for
human rights ;
absence of a legal culture ;
poorly sensitised population;
adequately trained actors involved in the implementation of
international human rights instruments ;
cumbersome
socio-economic,
cultural
and
political
procedures;
lack of adequate infrastructure;
poor understanding of legal documents;
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