🇧🇯 Republic of Benin (Bénin)
Visiting: High Risk
Go carefully in Benin. Nothing ranks highly here: freedom is only partly protected, ranking 63rd, and women's safety is fair, at 82nd. Its weakest measure is the roads, which are among the deadliest anywhere, placed 163rd. LGBT rights are limited, violent crime is moderate and there is significant exposure to conflict, all ranking between 102nd and 139th.
Homicide
Intentional homicides per 100,000 people — lower is better.
Benin: 5.8
Ranked 61st in the world for the highest homicide rate.
Why this rank?
It sits exactly at the world average of 5.8 killings per 100,000 people a year, the line where the risky tier begins.
Is it safe to visit?
Reasonable. The rate sits right at the world average. Benin publishes no count, so the WHO's 2021 estimate is all there is.
Road Fatalities
Road-traffic deaths per 100,000 people per year — lower is better.
Benin: 24.8
Ranked 18th in the world for the deadliest roads.
Why this rank?
Twenty-five deaths per 100,000 people a year is well above the world average of fifteen but short of double it.
Is it safe to visit?
Not safe. Well above the world average, and nearly a fifth of the deaths are people on foot.
Conflict
Conflict deaths inside the country in the last twelve months, as recorded by the Uppsala conflict database, civilians killed on purpose, and any UN sanctions or court order over a war. The worst of those sets the colour. Lower is better.
Benin: 2.75
Ranked 42nd most conflict-affected country in the world.
Why this rank?
45 people died in fighting inside Benin in the year to July 2026, nine of them civilians killed on purpose.
Is it safe to visit?
Take care in the far north. Jihadist raids from the Sahel killed 45 people in Alibori, Borgou and Atacora in the year to July 2026, nine of them villagers. Cotonou and the coast are untouched.
Freedom
Six freedoms rated 0–4 by Freedom House — protest, speech, press, religion, movement and due process. The weakest rating sets the colour, and the total places the country inside it — higher is better.
Benin: 6.87
Ranked 63rd freest country in the world.
Why this rank?
In Benin the lowest are press and due process at 2. Total 18 of 24.
Is it safe to visit?
Daily life is open, but politics is not. The president has used the courts against opponents since 2016, and police have used deadly force at political protests.
LGBT Rights
LGBT equality in law and daily life — higher is better.
Benin: 2.9
Ranked 79th least equal in the world for LGBT people.
Why this rank?
Never criminalised, but no recognition or protections either. The law index sits at 41 and public opinion at 16, and that low opinion score sets the rank.
Is it safe to visit?
Take care. Legal does not mean accepted here. Attitudes are conservative and a visitor will find nothing open.
Women's Safety
Women's safety — feeling safe out at night, political violence against women, a fair hearing in court, and how normal violence at home is, with the night figure setting a floor on the colour — higher is better.
Benin: 7.37
Ranked 82nd safest country in the world for women.
Why this rank?
The courts rate fairly and 58 percent of women feel safe out alone at night. Partner violence in the past year is fifteen percent, and a few attacks on women were recorded in 2024.
Is it safe to visit?
Benin is reasonable for a woman travelling alone.