Country report and updates: Benin

1 Conscription

conscription exists

Benin has conscription. [1] [2] [3] [4]

military service

All men and women who have passed their secondary school examination giving entry to university (baccalauréat status) are liable for military service. [1]

Military service lasts for 18 months in the case of men and 12 months in the case of women. [1] [4]

However, according to Amnesty International in 1985, the duration of military service is a year and includes working in schools for ten months as well as two months' military training. [1]

postponement and exemption

No information about this is available.

recruitment

According to all available sources, conscription is selective. This suggests only a small proportion of men and women are actually called up. No further details are known.

2 Conscientious objection

There is no legal provision for conscientious objection. [1]

3 Draft evasion and desertion

Refusal to perform military service is punishable by imprisonment. [1]

6 Annual statistics

The armed forces comprise 4,800 troops - about 0.1 percent of the population. [4]

Every year 130,000 men and women reach conscription age. [4]

It is not known how many pass secondary school examination annually.

Sources

[1] Eide, A., C. Mubanga-Chipoya 1985. Conscientious objection to military service, report prepared in pursuance of resolutions 14 (XXXIV) and 1982/30 of the Sub-Commission of Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities. United Nations, New York. [2] Guinness World Fact Book, Guinness Publishing, London 1994. [3] UN Commission on Human Rights 1997. The question of conscientious objection to military service, report of the Secretary-General prepared pursuant to Commission resolution 1995/83. United Nations, Geneva. [4] Institute for Strategic Studies 1997. Military Balance 1997/98. ISS, London, UK.