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Conceptia Ouinsou

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Conceptia Ouinsou
President of the Constitutional Court of Benin
In office
1998–2008
Preceded byElisabeth Ekoué Pognon
Succeeded byRobert Dossou
Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research
In office
15 May 1998 – 12 July 1998
PresidentMathieu Kérékou
Personal details
Born(1942-09-21)21 September 1942
Grande-Saline, Artibonite, Haiti
Died2 March 2011(2011-03-02) (aged 68)
Cotonou, Benin
Children3
Alma materUniversité d'État d'Haïti
Paris-Panthéon-Assas University
AwardsNational Order of Benin

Conceptia Liliane Dénis Ouinsou (21 September 1942 – 2 March 2011), sometimes known by the surname Denis-Ouinsou or Denis epse Ouinsou, was a Beninese lawyer, university educator and politician. She was president of the Constitutional Court of Benin from 1998 to 2008.

Biography

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Ouinsou was born on 21 September 1942 in Grande-Saline, Artibonite, Haiti.[1][2] She was sometimes known by the surname Denis-Ouinsou or Denis epse Ouinsou.[3]

Ouinsou Ouinsou was educated at the Sœurs de la Sainte Trinité and Collège St. Pierre in Haiti.[4] She studied an undergraduate degree in administration and social sciences at the Université d'État d'Haïti.[4][5] She then studied a postgraduate degree in law and a doctorate in private law at the Paris-Panthéon-Assas University (commonly known as the University of Paris II) in Paris, France.[6]

Ouinsou became an Associate of Private Law in Libreville, Gabon, in November 1985.[5]

Ouinsou was vice-rector of the Université Nationale du Bénin (National University of Benin, now the University of Abomey-Calavi) from June 1990 to February 1992.[2] During the 1990s she was president of the Law-Economics Sectoral Scientific Committee.[2]

Ouinsou was briefly the minister of national education and scientific research in the government of Mathieu Kérékou, from 15 May to 12 July 1998,[7][8][9] before being called to the constitutional court.[6]

Ouinsou was president of Constitutional Court of Benin from 1998 to 2008.[1][10] She was the second woman to preside over Benin’s constitutional court, succeeding Elisabeth Ekoué Pognon.[6] In 2004, Ouinsou ruled that a clause on polygamy of the draft Beninese Family Code was unconstitutional, citing Article 26 of the Constitution of Benin which provides that women and men are equal.[11]

Ouinsou was attacked at her home in 2005, but the attack was repelled by her security detail.[12]

After the 2007 Beninese parliamentary election, Ouinsou announced that authorities had "uncovered several irregularities, including attempts to stuff ballot boxes, underage voting and pressuring of voters," but that the election of Thomas Boni Yayi was valid.[13]

Ouinsou died on 2 March 2011 in Cotonou, Benin, aged 68,[1][2] following a cardiac arrest.[5]

Honours

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Boyer, Jean-Claude (5 April 2011). "Conceptia Liliane Denis Ouinsou a tiré la révérence". Le Nouvelliste (in French). Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Aguehounde, Anselme Pascal (2 March 2021). "Feue Conceptia Ouinsou : Un parcours admirable". La Nation (in French). Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  3. ^ "Benin Heads of State". Guide2womenleaders.com. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  4. ^ a b Houngnikpo, Mathurin C. (6 March 2024). Historical Dictionary of Benin. Bloomsbury Publishing PLC. ISBN 978-1-5381-8656-5.
  5. ^ a b c Hessoun, Charly (3 March 2011). "Conceptia Ouinsou a tiré hier sa révérence". La Nouvelle Tribune (in French). Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  6. ^ a b c Dawuni, Josephine; Kang, Alice (1 January 2015). "Her Ladyship Chief Justice: The Rise of Female Leaders in the Judiciary in Africa". Africa Today. 62 (2). Indiana University Press. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  7. ^ "Décret N° 1998-220 du 15 mai 1998". Secrétariat général du Gouvernement du Bénin (in French). Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  8. ^ "Décret N° 1998-280 du 12 juillet 1998". Secrétariat général du Gouvernement du Bénin (in French). Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  9. ^ Martin, Mart (18 May 2000). The Almanac Of Women And Minorities In World Politics. Avalon Publishing. p. 39. ISBN 978-0-8133-6805-4.
  10. ^ "Etudes en l'honneur des 2ème et 3ème mandatures présidées par CONCEPTIA LILIANE DENIS OUINSOU". courconstitutionnelle.bj (in French). Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  11. ^ Bauer, Gretchen; Dawuni, Josephine (30 October 2015). Gender and the Judiciary in Africa: From Obscurity to Parity?. Routledge. p. 2004. ISBN 978-1-317-51648-4.
  12. ^ New People. New People Media Centre, Comboni Missionaries. 2005. p. 8.
  13. ^ "Benin president wins election". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  14. ^ "Carnet noir: Ouinsou Conceptia s'en est allée". Egbadé (in French). Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  15. ^ "Décret N° 2000-41 du 03 février 2000". Secrétariat général du Gouvernement du Bénin (in French). Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  16. ^ "Décret N° 2008-392 du 08 juillet 2008". Secrétariat général du Gouvernement du Bénin (in French). Retrieved 9 February 2026.
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