Summary
On November 16, 2012, the Benin Government passed the national Benin Sacred Forest Law, which provides for the legal recognition, sustainable management, and protection of sacred forests and sites in the Republic of Benin. The law defines scared forests as “any forest home to ancestors’ spirits…any forest where one or several gods or spirits live…any forest home to several gods worshipped by the local population.” The law also recognizes the guardianship and caretaking of custodian communities that protect and govern sacred forests and have a responsibility for implementing the ‘management’ plan for the forest. The law states that “the sacred forest should be sustainably managed by the community to maintain its ecological, economic, socio-cultural, spiritual and recreational functions.”
This law is a product of lobbying by civil society and communities. It is the first in Africa to legally recognize Sacred Natural Sites, and set a precedent for future legal recognitions and protections in Africa in the coming years.
Involved Organizations
Suggested Citation:
Kauffman, Craig, Catherine Haas, Alex Putzer, Shrishtee Bajpai, Kelsey Leonard, Elizabeth Macpherson, Pamela Martin, Alessandro Pelizzon & Linda Sheehan. Eco Jurisprudence Monitor. V2. 2025. Distributed by the Eco Jurisprudence Monitor.https://ecojurisprudence.org/initiatives/benin-sacred-forest-law-2012/.
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