====== Benin ====== **Region:** Western Africa **Regional Economic Communities (REC):** CEN-SAD · ECOWAS · OHADA → [[https://iiag.online/locations/bj.html|View IIAG Country Statistics]] ---- ^ Indicator ^ Data ^ | **Governance (IIAG)** | Overall Governance score: 58.9 / 100 · Rank: 13th / 54 | ---- ===== PART 1 – HIGH-LEVEL COUNTRY MAPPING ===== ==== Institutions and Stakeholder Database ==== (To be linked) ---- ==== REC Membership ==== * CEN-SAD * ECOWAS * OHADA ---- ==== Population size and size of the informal economy ==== Benin’s population is estimated at approximately **14.5 million (2024)**. The informal economy dominates the labour market: * Approximately **90% of the workforce** is engaged in informal employment * Estimated **12.3 million informal workers** ---- ==== Nature of the legal system and ILO status ==== Benin is a **multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, and multi-religious society** with a legal system influenced by: * Civil law traditions * Regional OHADA frameworks Benin has ratified **32 ILO Conventions**, including: * 8 fundamental Conventions * 2 governance Conventions * 22 technical Conventions It ratified the **Social Security Convention (C102) in 2019**. As a member of **OHADA**, Benin participates in regional harmonisation of business and labour regulation, including efforts to facilitate transition from informal to formal economic activity. However, **implementation and enforcement challenges remain significant**. ---- ==== Workers’ rights in human rights system, national labour law / social protection and scope of protection ==== Workers’ rights are grounded in: **Constitution of the Republic of Benin (1990)** * Right to work * Fair remuneration * Social security * Freedom of association * Right to strike **Labour Code (1998)** * Regulates employment relationships * Recognises collective bargaining * Prohibits anti-union discrimination **General Collective Labour Agreement (2005)** **Social Security Code (Act No. 98-019 of 2003)** * Establishes formal social protection * Includes coverage pathways for: * Self-employed workers * Farmers * Informal economy workers Despite this framework: * Union activity is **regulated and constrained** * Protection against anti-union discrimination is **weak in practice** ---- ==== Existing laws, policy and regulatory initiatives for the protection of workers in the informal economy ==== **National Employment Policy (2020–2025)** * National framework for labour market development **Multi-actor Platform on Migration (PMB) – 2019** * Supports migrant workers (predominantly informal) **National Platform for Workers in the Informal Economy (UNAEIB) – 2020** * Collective representation of informal workers * Policy advocacy and coordination **National Policy on the Informal Economy (2021)** * Aims to improve working and living conditions * Limited formal recognition by the state **ARCH Programme (2019)** (Insurance for Strengthening Human Capital) * Targets informal economy actors * Provides: * Health insurance * Credit * Skills training * Pension support * By 2022: * ~900,000 beneficiaries enrolled * State subsidies up to 100% for poorest populations This programme represents a **significant attempt at social protection-led formalisation**. ---- ===== PART 2 – SECTOR SPECIFIC REGULATION ===== ---- ==== Domestic Work Sector ==== (Content to be added) ---- ==== Street Vendor ==== (Content to be added) ---- ==== Waste Reclaiming ==== (Content to be added) ---- ==== Home working ==== (Content to be added) ---- ==== Gig Work and the Platform Economy ==== (Content to be added) ---- ==== Farm Work ==== (Content to be added) ---- ==== The Mining Sector and Artisanal Mining ==== **Mining Code (Act No. 2006-17 of 17 October 2006)** * Governs: * Prospecting * Exploration * Exploitation * Processing and trade * Applies across territory, EEZ and continental shelf (Art. 2) **Decree No. 2002-580 of 31 December 2002** * Regulates artisanal mining * Requires: * Legal residence * Local company registration * Notification to Director of Mines (Art. 3) ---- ==== Taxi and Transport Sector (Gig-work/platform economy overlap) ==== (Content to be added) ---- ==== Cross-Border Informal Trade ==== (Content to be added) ---- ===== Sources / Links ===== * IIAG – Benin: https://iiag.online/locations/bj.html * Constitution of Benin (1990) * Labour Code (1998) * Social Security Code (2003) * Mining Code (2006) * [[https://wageindicator.org|Iftikhar Ahmad & Liberat Bigirimana, *Decent Work Check 2021: Benin*]] * [[https://www.ulandssekretariatet.dk|Danish Trade Union Development Agency, *Labour Market Profile of Benin*, 2024]] * [[https://www.who.int|World Health Organization, *Benin – Towards Universal Health Coverage*, 2024]] * [[https://www.ulandssekretariatet.dk/wp-content/uploads|Labour Market Profile Benin 2025/2026]]