Civil society in Guinea-Bissau speaks up on human rights

The meetings formed the backbone of four reports submitted by Guinea-Bissau to four UN Human Rights treaty bodies in 2024, a first for the small West African country.

“Guinea-Bissau had never presented these reports before, so their presentation is a milestone for the country. Now other actors know the country’s reality concerning human rights,” said Graciano da Silva Mango, a senior official from the General Directorate of Justice Policy, Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, who helped convene the meetings.

“Guinea-Bissau wants to improve its human rights record and is looking to closing the gaps related to human rights promotion and protection.”

The reports were submitted to the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Committee on the Rights of the Child, the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and the Human Rights Committee.

Wide participation

Guinea-Bissau is one of the least developed countries in the world, with more than 70 per cent of its estimated 1.8 million people living below the poverty line. The country, which has been characterized by political instability for decades, has a large youth population.

The consultations and workshops, which took place in 2023 and 2024, brought together government officials, human rights defenders, civil society, unions, youth organizations, and representatives of groups most at risk of being left behind such as women, children, people with disabilities and people living with HIV.

UN Human Rights, which has been present in Guinea-Bissau since 1999 under its mandate to assist the country to comply with human rights obligations, worked closely with civil society and State officials, including the Ministry of Justice, to help draft the four reports, supporting the analysis of information, and providing feedback.

Elisabeth da Costa, senior human rights advisor at the UN Resident Coordinator Office in Guinea-Bissau, said the consultations have contributed to raise awareness on Guinea-Bissau’s human rights obligations and improve the understanding of State officials on treaties ratified by the State.

“The process is as important, if not more, than submitting the reports to Geneva. By submitting reports to the various treaty bodies, the State is fulfilling its reporting obligations, but the process also offers many opportunities,” Da Costa said, adding the consultations strengthened the capacity of State officials to collect and analyse information and improve coordination between ministries and State entities.

Virgínia Brás Gomes, a former member of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights who helped coordinate the consultations, said the participation was broad.

“Working together in Portuguese meant the facilitation process had multiplier effects and was instrumental in consolidating reporting skills among Government officials from the different Ministries,” she said.

The UN Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund supported the process.

Djedjo said she hoped the consultations and reports will lead to improvements in the right to education in Guinea-Bissau.

“The report shows what is happening in the country, what the government has done and what it has not been able to do yet,” she said.