The President of Benin, Patrice Talon, signed into law Law 2026-02 on February 9, 2026, marking a major step forward in HIV prevention, care, and the fight against stigma and discrimination. The law aims to accelerate Benin’s progress toward ending AIDS by aligning national policy with international human rights standards and promoting inclusive, evidence-based public health practices.
This new legislation is the result of a long process that began in 2013 and resumed in 2020 under the Health Program for the Fight against AIDS (PSLS). It replaces the outdated 2006 law, which relied on punitive and stigmatizing measures, violated confidentiality, criminalized HIV-related behaviors, and marginalized key populations.
The 2026 law strengthens the rights of people living with HIV, ensuring privacy, access to care and prevention services, and recognition of key populations such as sex workers, men who have sex with men, people who inject drugs, transgender individuals, migrants, and prisoners. It reduces criminal penalties related to HIV and emphasizes that disclosure of HIV status is strictly voluntary.
The law reflects strong political leadership and coordinated support from UNAIDS, UNDP, the UN Regional Coordinator, Expertise France, the Global Fund, and local stakeholders including parliamentarians, civil society, and networks of people living with HIV. This collaborative effort transformed evidence-based advocacy into actionable, transformative legislation.
With this law and rigorous monitoring of its implementation, Benin is advancing toward universal access to HIV treatment, protecting vulnerable groups, and moving closer to the goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
