The purpose of this activity to counter democratic backsliding in benin by building the capacity and resiliency of beninese actors to defend and assert their rights

The USAID Foreign Assistance for Programs Overseas program (CFDA #98.001) awarded a $2.915 million cooperative agreement to Freedom House, Inc. from June 2021 through November 2023 to counter democratic backsliding in Benin. Freedom House will support the Benin Human Rights Commission to carry out its responsibilities promoting and defending human rights, and assist civil society organizations to empower citizens to assert their rights. A $250,000 subaward was provided to the American Bar Association Fund For Justice And Education to support a Human Rights Support Mechanism. In summary, this cooperative agreement will build the capacity of government and civil society actors in Benin to strengthen democratic governance and protect human rights through 2023.

This involves 1) supporting the benin human rights commission (bhrc) to carry out its responsibility to promote and defend human rights and 2) assisting civil society to empower beninese citizens to assert their rights.