Family law in Benin is based mainly on the Persons and Family Code (Code des personnes et de la famille) and the Children's Code (Code de l'enfant). For social support and child protection, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Microfinance (Ministère des Affaires Sociales et de la Microfinance), the Department of Family, Children and Adolescents (Département de la Famille, de l'Enfant et de l'Adolescent), the Social Promotion Centres (Centres de Promotion Sociale (CPS)) and, depending on the location, the One-Stop Social Protection Offices (Guichets Uniques de Protection Sociale (GUPS)) work together. There is no single nationwide point of contact for all family matters. Responsibilities, access to services and available support therefore differ by commune and institution. An engagement or families getting to know each other may be socially customary, but neither creates a civil marriage. Both people must personally consent to the marriage; minors may not be engaged, and the legal minimum age for marriage is 18 for both sexes. A civil marriage and its registration take place through the commune (Commune) or arrondissement (Arrondissement). Religious or customary unions may exist alongside it, but they do not automatically provide official proof of marriage or the same effects regarding marital status and inheritance. As a rule, these consequences depend on the civil registry entry. Birth registration is required by law. A birth should be declared within 21 days and is fee-free according to the available civil-status profile; late registration may require court proceedings and additional court costs. In a 2025–2026 pilot project, ten public health facilities register births directly at the place of delivery, assign a national personal identification number within no more than 72 hours and securely transmit the certificate to the commune. The nationwide expansion of this procedure and its local availability must be checked in each case. A family record book (livret de famille) is issued when a civil marriage takes place. It may contain extracts concerning marriage, birth and death; the parents are responsible for keeping it up to date. After divorce or separation, a replacement document may be issued. Families should therefore keep birth certificates, proof of marriage and, where applicable, death certificates in an orderly manner for administrative procedures. Parenthood, parental authority, maintenance, adoption and guardianship determine who cares for a child and who may make decisions. The CPS advise families, help with social risks and arrange psychosocial or other services when needed. The relevant Court of First Instance (Tribunal de Première Instance) is responsible for divorce, sole parental authority, transfer of parental powers, guardianship, adoption and enforcement of maintenance. A factual separation is not the same as separation from bed and board or divorce; divorce is granted by a court, ends the marriage and the spouses' mutual duties, but does not affect duties toward their joint children. Significant family risks in Benin include child marriage, early pregnancy, domestic and gender-based violence, forced or arranged marriage, child labour, human trafficking, abandonment, and the care of orphans, persons with disabilities and older dependent relatives. According to the 2021–2022 MICS survey, 27.5 percent of girls had been married before their 18th birthday; higher figures were found, among other situations, in rural, poor, agriculture-based and low-education settings and in northern parts of the country. Prevention and support may be available through village committees, GUPS and programmes such as FAABA Cash+Care programme (FAABA Cash+Care), whose local availability should be checked. Law No. 2011-26 (Loi 2011-26) covers physical, moral, sexual and psychological violence in the family, including marital rape and forced or arranged marriage. The protection may cover spouses, unmarried partners, relatives, members of the same household and former intimate relationships. The Child Assistance Line (Ligne d'Assistance aux Enfants (LAE)) accepts anonymous reports of violence against children and may refer them to CPS, child-protection services, the police, health services or the justice system; accessibility and emergency care depend on the location. The death of a family member should be registered within ten days. According to the available civil-status profile, a medical death certificate and proof of identity are required; registration is stated to be fee-free there. Missing or late registry documents can cause significant delays in maintenance, dependency, estate and other claims. The civil-status office (ANIP/RNPP), the commune, the arrondissement or, in disputed cases, the competent court may be involved. Historical fee profiles list no fee for civil birth, marriage or death entries, but current tariffs, forms, responsible offices and local opening hours should be confirmed before visiting the authority.
Family in Benin
Family relationships in Benin include marriage, parenthood, care, maintenance, protection and support for dependent relatives. Government responsibilities are distributed among several bodies, while support within families is often organized informally. Civil registry entries prove births, marriages and deaths and affect, among other things, parental rights, maintenance and inheritance.
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