Guinea-Bissau
Guinea-Bissau
Under a government that continually fails to enforce gender equality legislation, women in Guinea-Bissau face high levels of poverty, domestic violence and sexual and gender-based violence.
Despite a women’s political platform developed in 2008, women’s participation in parliament remains low. Guinea-Bissau acceded to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in 1985, and launched a National Action Plan per Resolution 1325 in 2011. In the same year, Guinea-Bissau passed a law aimed at ending female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C). Lack of prosecution for rape, exacerbated by widespread impunity and corruption, eliminates the effectiveness of laws making SGBV illegal.
Based on the work of NGOWG members and their partners, the NGOWG calls for an end to impunity in Guinea-Bissau, and encourages gender mainstreaming as a priority for the UN Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Guinea-Bissau (UNIOGBIS).
Current and Past Recommendations to the UN Security Council (Monthly Action Points)
Guinea-Bissau (March 2013)
In its discussions of the expected report on SCR 2048 and the humanitarian situation in Guinea-Bissau, the Council should inquire into the ongoing challenges to and give support for women’s participation in conflict prevention, political processes, peacebuilding efforts, as well as women’s role in security sector reform. These discussions should also detail gender-specific concerns regarding the current humanitarian situation, review efforts to ensure justice for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence, including psychosocial support, and update efforts on the adoption of a National Policy for Equality. The Security Council should support women’s engagement in efforts to build trust following the coup. The expected UN assessment of the situation must include a comprehensive gender analysis, and gender-specific recommendations.
Relevant Resources
