The prize recognises and rewards civil society organisations who work daily for human rights in Benin. 

FI is particularly moved by the attribution of this award to Franciscains-Bénin, because FI has had an important role in both capacity-building and global awareness-raising around the issue of ritual infanticide in Benin.  Franciscains-Bénin was created as a result of FI’s efforts to train and empower local partners to advocate on the issue of ritual infanticide. Furthermore, FI brought the issue to the attention of the international community by reporting to the UN through different human rights mechanisms. This included inviting advocates from the grassroots to speak at UN events and planning side-events on the subject. Presently, FI is providing technical support to local partners to monitor the implementation of UN recommendations on the ground, especially those in relation to awareness-raising on the issue of ritual infanticide as well as influencing legal reforms in order to have the practice of ritual infanticide criminalised in domestic legislation.

FI is excited to see the fruit of its work in Benin, and continues to work  for many other encouraging stories of success in the future.  For more information about the Prize and ceremony, please see this article.