A/HRC/22/9 Introduction 1. The Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), established in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 of 18 June 2007, held its fourteenth session from 22 October to 5 November 2012. The review of Benin was held at the 7th meeting on 25 October 2012. The delegation of Benin was headed by A. Marie-Elise C. Gbedo, Minister of Justice, Legislation and Human Rights, Garde des Sceaux and Government Spokesperson. At its 13th meeting held on 31 October 2012, the Working Group adopted the report on Benin. 2. On 3 May 2012, the Human Rights Council selected the following group of rapporteurs (troika) to facilitate the review of Benin: Botswana, Kuwait and Romania. 3. In accordance with paragraph 15 of the annex to Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 and paragraph 5 of the annex to Council resolution 16/21, the following documents were issued for the review of Benin: (a) A national report submitted and a written presentation made in accordance with paragraph 15 (a) (A/HRC/WG.6/14/BEN/1); (b) A compilation prepared by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in accordance with paragraph 15 (b) (A/HRC/WG.6/14/BEN/2); (c) A summary prepared by OHCHR in accordance with paragraph 15 (c) (A/HRC/WG.6/14/BEN/3). 4. A list of questions prepared in advance by Denmark, Germany, Mexico, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Spain and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was transmitted to Benin through the troika. These questions are available on the extranet of the universal periodic review (UPR). I. Summary of the proceedings of the review process A. Presentation by the State under review 5. The delegation of Benin highlighted the importance the Government of Benin attached to the universal periodic review process, which provided an excellent opportunity to engage with the Human Rights Council in a constructive dialogue that would help the State under review to meet the many challenges it faced in the area of human rights. 6. The delegation explained that the national report was the result of an inclusive national consultation process in which State structures and civil society, supported by the United Nations specialized agencies, had contributed to gathering the information. 7. The delegation said that the strengthening of the institutional legal framework for human rights was one of the steps taken by Benin to give effect to the recommendations not only of the 2008 universal periodic review, but also those of the treaty bodies. Continuing with its ratification of human rights treaties, Benin had acceded to the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty on 5 July 2012, and had also strengthened domestic provisions recognizing the right to life. 8. With regard to cooperation with the treaty bodies and the mechanisms of the Human Rights Council, the delegation pointed out that Benin’s periodic reports on the GE.12-18655 3