Guinea-Bissau
Guinea-Bissau is a former Portuguese colony in West Africa which has a multi-party presidential republic.[ref]https://www.state.gov/reports/2020-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/guinea-bissau/[/ref] The population is estimated to be 1.9 million as of 2020.[ref]https://www.state.gov/reports/2020-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/guinea-bissau/[/ref]
The country has been experiencing political instability in the last decade,[ref]https://freedomhouse.org/country/guinea-bissau/freedom-world/2021; https://www.state.gov/reports/2020-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/guinea-bissau/[/ref] but civil liberties have gradually improved since the military coup in 2012.[ref]https://freedomhouse.org/country/guinea-bissau/freedom-world/2021[/ref] International institutions and observers regarded the 2019 parliamentary elections as free and fair.[ref]https://freedomhouse.org/country/guinea-bissau/freedom-world/2021; https://www.state.gov/reports/2020-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/guinea-bissau/[/ref]
Reliable demographic data is not available, however it is estimated that 45% of the population is Muslim, 31% follow indigenous beliefs, 22% Christian and the final 2% is composed of different minorities.[ref]https://www.state.gov/reports/2020-report-on-international-religious-freedom/guinea-bissau/[/ref]
The country ranked amongst the worst in the UNDP Human Development Index. Most of the Guinean population is in a situation of multidimensional poverty.[ref]https://www.upr-info.org/sites/default/files/document/guinea-bissau/session_35_-_january_2020/a_hrc_wg.6_35_gnb_3_e.pdf[/ref]
Constitution and government | Education and children’s rights | Family, community, society, religious courts and tribunals | Freedom of expression advocacy of humanist values |
---|---|---|---|
Countries: Albania, Antigua and Barbuda, Austria, Belgium, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Congo, Republic of the, Czech Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Honduras, Iceland, India, Japan, Korea, Republic of, Kyrgyzstan, Madagascar, Mali, Mongolia, Montenegro, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Russia, São Tomé and Príncipe, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Sweden, Taiwan, Timor-Leste (East Timor), United States of America, Uruguay
Countries: Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Brunei Darussalam, Comoros, Croatia, Egypt, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ghana, Iran, Iraq, Kenya, Lebanon, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Morocco, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Countries: Angola, Azerbaijan, Côte d'Ivoire, South Sudan, Tuvalu, Viet Nam
Countries: Kazakhstan
Countries: Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Central African Republic, Chile, Congo, Republic of the, Ecuador, Estonia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Japan, Kenya, Kosovo, Mongolia, Namibia, Nauru, Netherlands, São Tomé and Príncipe, Slovenia, South Africa, South Sudan, Suriname, Taiwan, Ukraine
Countries: Côte d'Ivoire, Honduras, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, South Africa, South Sudan
Countries: Albania, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Canada, Chile, Congo, Republic of the, Czech Republic, Dominica, Ecuador, Estonia, France, Ghana, Guatemala, Iceland, Japan, Korea, Republic of, Kosovo, Latvia, Luxembourg, Namibia, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Palau, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, São Tomé and Príncipe, Slovenia, Sweden, Taiwan, Uruguay, Venezuela
Countries: Bahamas, Belgium, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Iceland, Jamaica, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Palau, Romania, Slovenia, Sweden, United States of America
Countries: no countries relate to this boundary condition
Countries: Azerbaijan, Lesotho, Uzbekistan, Viet Nam
Countries: Andorra
Countries: Cyprus, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Laos, Lesotho
Countries: Comoros, Ethiopia, Gambia, Jamaica, Kenya, Lebanon, Niger, Philippines, Senegal, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom
Countries: no countries relate to this boundary condition
This condition is unusual in that it is applied in cases where there is some social discrimination, but it is not pervasive or nationwide. This condition is applied when there is sufficient background evidence to warrant the assertion that discrimination is not anomalous but widespread, and this condition may be applied for example even where if there is no legislative discrimination or where the non-religious may have legal recourse against such discrimination. However, societal discrimination (i.e. discrimination by peers, as opposed to state or legal discrimination) is not easily measured, and for this reason the Report does not currently have similar more severe boundary conditions to capture higher levels of social discrimination per se. In principle these may be introduced in future. However, we consider that countries with actual higher levels of social discrimination against the non-religious will generally already meet other higher level (more severe) boundary conditions under this thematic strand.
Countries: Botswana, Greece, Serbia, United States of America
Applied when the influence of religion on public life undermines others’ rights, such as SRHR, women’s rights, LGBTI+ rights.
May be applied when the influence is overt (i.e. when religious laws are applied to undermine others’ rights) or covert (i.e. where religious pressure groups exert influence to affect policy)
Countries: Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Bahamas, Belize, Bolivia, Brunei Darussalam, Congo, Democratic Republic of, Croatia, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Eswatini, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Hungary, Iran, Italy, Jamaica, Jordan, Liberia, Lithuania, Mexico, Moldova, Montenegro, Mozambique, Nicaragua, North Macedonia, Oman, Paraguay, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Slovakia, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Timor-Leste (East Timor), Trinidad and Tobago, Ukraine, Zambia
Applied when overriding acts of oppression by the State are extreme, to the extent that the question of freedom of thought and expression is almost redundant, because all human rights and freedoms are quashed by authorities.
Countries: North Korea
Countries: Afghanistan, Bahrain, Brunei Darussalam, Chad, China, Iran, Kuwait, Mauritania, North Korea, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, United Arab Emirates, Yemen
Countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Iran, Pakistan, Yemen
Countries: Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, Gambia, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Italy, Kiribati, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Moldova, Monaco, New Zealand, Oman, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Solomon Islands, Spain, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom, Vanuatu, Venezuela
Countries: Algeria, Angola, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Brazil, Burundi, Central African Republic, Congo, Democratic Republic of, Cuba, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Gabon, Gambia, Guinea, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Laos, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Morocco, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Oman, Philippines, Russia, Rwanda, Samoa, Somalia, Sudan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Countries: Argentina, Australia, Bangladesh, Belize, Brunei Darussalam, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Comoros, Costa Rica, Croatia, Denmark, Dominica, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Fiji, Finland, Germany, Ghana, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Kosovo, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Morocco, Nepal, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Samoa, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Switzerland, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, United Kingdom, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Yemen, Zimbabwe
Countries: Andorra, Armenia, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Congo, Republic of the, Côte d'Ivoire, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Mexico, Mozambique, Myanmar (Burma), Niger, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Turkey, Tuvalu, Uganda
Countries: Afghanistan, Congo, Democratic Republic of, North Korea, Saudi Arabia
Countries: Albania, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, Belize, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Croatia, Denmark, Dominica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, France, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Greece, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Hungary, India, Ireland, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Korea, Republic of, Kosovo, Kuwait, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Solomon Islands, Spain, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste (East Timor), Tonga, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Zambia
Countries: Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Bahrain, Belize, Botswana, Brazil, Cambodia, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Latvia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Madagascar, Malta, Moldova, Nepal, Palestine, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste (East Timor), Togo, Tunisia, United Kingdom, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Countries: Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Comoros, Eritrea, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mauritania, Morocco, Myanmar (Burma), Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Syria, Thailand, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen
Countries: Afghanistan, Brunei Darussalam, Iran, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Yemen
Countries: Australia, Austria, Barbados, Brazil, Cambodia, Finland, Italy, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Moldova, Montenegro, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Saint Lucia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkmenistan, Uganda, United Kingdom
Countries: Angola, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Burundi, Cameroon, Chile, China, Congo, Republic of the, Denmark, Ethiopia, Germany, Ghana, Haiti, Hungary, Italy, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Malawi, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritania, Mexico, Nepal, North Korea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Serbia, Singapore, Tajikistan, Tonga, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Viet Nam
Countries: Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ghana, Guinea, Guyana, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mauritania, Morocco, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, Nigeria, Oman, Palestine, Paraguay, Qatar, Russia, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Thailand, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Zimbabwe
Countries: Iran
Countries: Algeria, Bangladesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Comoros, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, Malaysia, Morocco, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates
This condition is applied where there are miscellaneous indicators that organs of the state offer various forms of support for a religion, or to religion in general over non-religious worldviews, suggesting a preference for those beliefs, or that the organs of that religion are privileged.
Countries: Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Burundi, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Finland, Germany, Ghana, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Montenegro, Mozambique, Nepal, New Zealand, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Oman, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, San Marino, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste (East Timor), Tunisia, Turkey, Tuvalu, United Kingdom, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Zimbabwe
Countries: Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada, Colombia, Congo, Democratic Republic of, Croatia, Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominica, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Finland, Germany, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Kiribati, Korea, Republic of, Laos, Latvia, Liberia, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Norway, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Serbia, Singapore, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States of America, Vanuatu, Zimbabwe
Countries: Bangladesh, Egypt, Mauritania, Pakistan
Countries: Djibouti, Finland, India, Laos, Latvia, Norway, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Sierra Leone, Ukraine
This condition highlights countries where schools subject children to fundamentalist religious instruction with no real opportunity to question fundamentalist tenets, or where lessons routinely encourage hatred (for example religious or ethnic hatred). The wording “significant number of schools” is not given a rigid quantification (sometimes the worst-offending schools are unregistered, illegal, or otherwise uncounted); however the condition is not applied in cases where only a small number of schools meet the description and may be anomalous, as opposed to being indicative of a widespread problem.
Countries: Bangladesh, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia
Countries: Algeria, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Comoros, Cyprus, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Finland, Gambia, Germany, Grenada, Guyana, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Morocco, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, Oman, Palestine, Papua New Guinea, Poland, Qatar, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, São Tomé and Príncipe, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Vanuatu, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Countries: Afghanistan, Bahrain, Brunei Darussalam, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Maldives, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, United Arab Emirates, Yemen
Countries: Algeria, Argentina, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Costa Rica, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Finland, Georgia, Haiti, Iceland, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Liechtenstein, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritania, Monaco, Morocco, Myanmar (Burma), Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Tuvalu, United Kingdom, Yemen, Zambia
Countries: Argentina, Armenia, Belize, Burundi, Cambodia, Chad, China, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Georgia, Germany, Guinea, Haiti, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Jamaica, Jordan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Lesotho, Libya, Malawi, Malaysia, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Palestine, Peru, Philippines, Samoa, Switzerland, Thailand, Uganda, United Kingdom
Countries: Afghanistan, Brunei Darussalam, Iran, Mauritania, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia
Countries: Afghanistan, Egypt, Hungary, Iran, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Morocco, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan
Countries: Algeria, Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Bahamas, Bahrain, Benin, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Denmark, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Finland, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Haiti, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kiribati, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Micronesia, Moldova, Morocco, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, Nigeria, Oman, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Samoa, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Solomon Islands, Spain, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste (East Timor), Tonga, Tunisia, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States of America, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Countries: Afghanistan, Algeria, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Burundi, China, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Estonia, Grenada, Hungary, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Kyrgyzstan, Madagascar, Malaysia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nicaragua, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Poland, Russia, Saint Lucia, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Slovakia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Vanuatu, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zimbabwe
Countries: Afghanistan, Brunei Darussalam, Comoros, Indonesia, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Maldives, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, United Arab Emirates, Yemen
Countries: Afghanistan, Algeria, Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Burundi, Djibouti, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel, Libya, Maldives, Mauritania, Morocco, Myanmar (Burma), Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen
Countries: Brunei Darussalam, China, Cuba, North Korea, Saudi Arabia
Countries: Algeria, Argentina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Denmark, Eritrea, Germany, Haiti, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Malawi, Malaysia, Malta, Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, Solomon Islands, Switzerland, Tunisia, United Kingdom, Vanuatu
Countries: Afghanistan, Brunei Darussalam, China, Egypt, Eritrea, Indonesia, Iran, Kuwait, Maldives, Morocco, North Korea, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, United Arab Emirates, Yemen
Countries: Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Iran, Maldives, Mauritania, Pakistan, Rwanda, Somalia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen
This condition may apply if specifically religious education, religious materials, or specific religious denominations are so tightly controlled that children are in fact over-protected from exposure to religion and are likely unable to explore or construct their own worldview in accordance with their evolving capacities. This condition helps us to classify states (perhaps with secular constitutions) which have criminalized specifically religious beliefs or practices. This condition is not applied if the restricted beliefs or practices are found to be outlawed due to their being of an extremist variety. While this condition does not directly reflect discrimination against non-religious persons or non-religious ideas, it does represent an overall threat to freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief; such restrictions could spill over to affect non-religious beliefs later; and they pose a risk of backlash against over-zealous secular authorities or even against non-religious individuals by association.
Countries: China, Congo, Democratic Republic of, Cuba, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Guinea, Guyana, Italy, Kazakhstan, Laos, Madagascar, Mexico, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Tajikistan, Togo, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Zimbabwe
Countries: Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belize, Brunei Darussalam, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Fiji, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Morocco, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen
Countries: Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bhutan, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chad, Congo, Democratic Republic of, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Eswatini, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guinea, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Jordan, Korea, Republic of, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Montenegro, Myanmar (Burma), Namibia, Nepal, New Zealand, Nicaragua, North Macedonia, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Suriname, Switzerland, Thailand, Timor-Leste (East Timor), Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Yemen, Zimbabwe
Countries: Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Comoros, Congo, Democratic Republic of, Egypt, Eritrea, Malaysia, Mauritania, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestine, Senegal, Somalia, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan
Systemic Discrimination |
Mostly Satisfactory |
Free and Equal |
No Rating |
Constitution and government
Freedom of religion or belief is protected in Article 52 of the Constitution “Freedom of conscience and of religion is inviolable.”[ref]https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Guinea_Bissau_1996?lang=en[/ref]
Article 6 of the Constitution states “In the Republic of Guinea-Bissau there shall be separation between the state and religious institutions.”[ref]https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Guinea_Bissau_1996?lang=en[/ref]
Article 24 explicitly calls for non-discrimination and includes secular worldviews: “All persons are equal before the law, enjoy the same rights and are subjected to the same duties, without distinction as to race, social status, intellectual or cultural level, religious belief or philosophical conviction.”[ref]https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Guinea_Bissau_1996?lang=en[/ref]
Article 4 of the constitution regulates political parties, including:
“4. The formation of parties of regional or local nature, parties that sponsor racism or tribalism, and of parties that advocate the use of violent means to achieve its ends is forbidden.
5. The party’s name may not identify itself with any part of the national territory, nor display the name of a person, church, religion, confession or religious doctrine.”[ref]https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Guinea_Bissau_1996?lang=en[/ref]
Government institutions
The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) noted the weak nature of state institutions and a low level of public trust in them. The population lacks awareness of human rights.[ref]https://www.upr-info.org/sites/default/files/document/guinea-bissau/session_35_-_january_2020/a_hrc_wg.6_35_gnb_3_e.pdf para 12[/ref] The judicial system is damaged by the political situation and weakness of governmental institutions. Citizens lack faith in the justice system because of corruption and lack of resources.[ref]https://www.upr-info.org/sites/default/files/document/guinea-bissau/session_35_-_january_2020/a_hrc_wg.6_35_gnb_3_e.pdf para 20[/ref]
Reports show that the judicial system suffers from corruption and political pressure. The court system lacks resources and capacity to function effectively. The police force is also plagued by corruption. Most of the population lack access to justice.[ref]https://freedomhouse.org/country/guinea-bissau/freedom-world/2021[/ref]
The remote location of courts relative to much of the population limits access to judicial services and contributes to the widespread sense of impunity.[ref]https://www.upr-info.org/sites/default/files/document/guinea-bissau/session_35_-_january_2020/a_hrc_wg.6_35_gnb_3_e.pdf para 21[/ref] The limited formal justice increases the negative impact of customary law and traditional justice in solving societal problems.[ref]https://www.upr-info.org/sites/default/files/document/guinea-bissau/session_35_-_january_2020/a_hrc_wg.6_35_gnb_3_e.pdf para 23[/ref] The formal justice system was poorly understood, expensive, and seldom used.[ref]https://www.state.gov/reports/2020-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/guinea-bissau/[/ref]
Drug traffickers used threats and bribes to infiltrate state structures. Criminal networks operate with impunity and recruit the youth in their criminal activities.[ref]https://www.upr-info.org/sites/default/files/document/guinea-bissau/session_35_-_january_2020/a_hrc_wg.6_35_gnb_3_e.pdf para 19[/ref]
Education and children’s rights
In accordance with the Constitution, public schools do not provide religious instruction. Article 49(4) “Public schools will not be religiously oriented.”[ref]https://www.state.gov/reports/2020-report-on-international-religious-freedom/guinea-bissau/; https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Guinea_Bissau_1996?lang=en[/ref]
However, some schools are operated by religious groups.
The average number of years at school is very low in the population. Limited access to education especially affects girls resulting in a literacy rate of 72% in girls as of 2014.[ref]https://www.upr-info.org/sites/default/files/document/guinea-bissau/session_35_-_january_2020/a_hrc_wg.6_35_gnb_3_e.pdf para 49-51[/ref]
Child labour and child trafficking
Child labour though illegal is common in Guinea-Bissau. A study showed that 40% of the country’s children are active in the labour market. Half of the country’s children are affected by poverty, increasing child labour.[ref]https://www.upr-info.org/sites/default/files/document/guinea-bissau/session_35_-_january_2020/a_hrc_wg.6_35_gnb_3_e.pdf para 62[/ref]
Reports show that child trafficking is common in Guinea-Bissau. Children are exploited in the country and trafficked to neighbouring states to engage in begging, forced labour and prostitution.[ref]https://www.upr-info.org/sites/default/files/document/guinea-bissau/session_35_-_january_2020/a_hrc_wg.6_35_gnb_3_e.pdf para 60[/ref]
Some religious teachers offer Muslim families Quranic education for their boys but then put them to work or begging, locally or in neighbouring countries. The boys get beaten and mistreated.[ref]https://www.upr-info.org/sites/default/files/document/guinea-bissau/session_35_-_january_2020/a_hrc_wg.6_35_gnb_3_e.pdf para 35[/ref] The government cooperated with Senegal to return 158 mistreated children that were sent to Islamic schools in Senegal back to Guinea-Bissau.[ref]https://www.state.gov/reports/2020-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/guinea-bissau/[/ref]
Family, community and society
Discrimination
Despite some legal protections, women face discrimination in society due to traditional views. Women do not have equal access to education, employment, and equal pay.[ref]https://www.upr-info.org/sites/default/files/document/guinea-bissau/session_35_-_january_2020/a_hrc_wg.6_35_gnb_3_e.pdf para 38[/ref] Women, particularly from certain ethnic groups in rural areas, are restricted from owning or inheriting property.[ref]https://freedomhouse.org/country/guinea-bissau/freedom-world/2021[/ref]
There is no effective legal protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation, and gender identity.[ref]https://freedomhouse.org/country/guinea-bissau/freedom-world/2021[/ref]
Same sex marriage is not recognized, however same sex relationships are not made illegal by law. The situation for gay men appears to be better than otherwise in the region. The country rewrote its Penal Code in 1993 and did not include a provision against homosexuality.[ref]https://www.reuters.com/article/us-bissau-lgbt-feature-idUSKBN1QU1B8; https://freedomhouse.org/country/guinea-bissau/freedom-world/2021; https://www.equaldex.com/region/guinea-bissau[/ref]
Early Marriages and child prostitution
Early and forced marriages are widespread,[ref]https://freedomhouse.org/country/guinea-bissau/freedom-world/2021[/ref] and occurred within all ethnic groups.[ref]https://www.state.gov/reports/2020-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/guinea-bissau/[/ref] The minimum age of marriage is 16 years, parents seek marriage for their underage daughters in the hope of benefiting financially.[ref]https://www.upr-info.org/sites/default/files/document/guinea-bissau/session_35_-_january_2020/a_hrc_wg.6_35_gnb_3_e.pdf para 63[/ref] The civil marriage legislation is in most cases replaced by customary marriage law. 37% of girls and 3.7% of boys are married before the age of 18.[ref]https://www.upr-info.org/sites/default/files/document/guinea-bissau/session_35_-_january_2020/a_hrc_wg.6_35_gnb_3_e.pdf para 63[/ref]
NGOs submitted a legislative initiative to the parliament in 2018 to combat early marriages and criminalize forced marriages but the initiative was removed without any justification.[ref]https://www.upr-info.org/sites/default/files/document/guinea-bissau/session_35_-_january_2020/a_hrc_wg.6_35_gnb_3_e.pdf para 64[/ref]
Reports indicate that prostitution, also of minors, is common in Guinea-Bissau and linked with drug trafficking.[ref]https://www.upr-info.org/sites/default/files/document/guinea-bissau/session_35_-_january_2020/a_hrc_wg.6_35_gnb_3_e.pdf para 60[/ref] Women and girls are forced into prostitution because of poverty and the lack of jobs or financial support.[ref]https://www.upr-info.org/sites/default/files/document/guinea-bissau/session_35_-_january_2020/a_hrc_wg.6_35_gnb_3_e.pdf para 60[/ref] Reports show that girls are trafficked into commercial sexual exploitation and sex tourism, including in bars and hotels.[ref]https://www.state.gov/reports/2020-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/guinea-bissau/[/ref]
Female Genital Mutilation and Gender-based Violence
Despite being illegal,[ref]https://www.state.gov/reports/2020-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/guinea-bissau/[/ref] almost half of all women are victims of female genital mutilation (FGM).[ref]https://freedomhouse.org/country/guinea-bissau/freedom-world/2021[/ref] Gender-based violence is reportedly widespread, though victims of rape and domestic abuse rarely report the crimes to authorities.[ref]https://freedomhouse.org/country/guinea-bissau/freedom-world/2021[/ref] The justice system does not properly address cases of gender-based violence. Judicial responses are late and ineffective which contributes to the persistence of harmful practices and a widespread sense of impunity.[ref]https://www.upr-info.org/sites/default/files/document/guinea-bissau/session_35_-_january_2020/a_hrc_wg.6_35_gnb_3_e.pdf para 29, 59[/ref]
Due to cultural reasons and a poorly maintained justice system, most conflicts related to gender-based violence are handled by traditional institutions or authorities, including families, community or religious leaders.[ref]https://www.upr-info.org/sites/default/files/document/guinea-bissau/session_35_-_january_2020/a_hrc_wg.6_35_gnb_3_e.pdf para 57[/ref] The country lacks state institutions to respond to cases of gender-based violence.[ref]https://www.upr-info.org/sites/default/files/document/guinea-bissau/session_35_-_january_2020/a_hrc_wg.6_35_gnb_3_e.pdf para 57[/ref] Sexual harassment is not explicitly made illegal by law, and as a result is widespread.[ref]https://www.state.gov/reports/2020-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/guinea-bissau/[/ref]
Foreign religious movements
Since at least 2017 foreign-led Salafist groups have increased their presence and recruitment efforts in Guinea-Bissau.[ref]https://www.state.gov/reports/2020-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/guinea-bissau/[/ref] Mosques are established with unvetted imams with foreign funding.[ref]https://www.state.gov/reports/2020-report-on-international-religious-freedom/guinea-bissau/; https://www.ozy.com/around-the-world/sufi-west-africa-braces-amid-rise-of-fundamentalism/87345/[/ref] Online recruitment targets young men to religious radicalism. Some of the local Muslim population, which have traditionally subscribed to a different school of Islam have expressed their concern for the developments and how they may impact longstanding religious tolerance.[ref]https://www.state.gov/reports/2020-report-on-international-religious-freedom/guinea-bissau/; https://www.ozy.com/around-the-world/sufi-west-africa-braces-amid-rise-of-fundamentalism/87345/[/ref]
Freedom of expression and humanist values
Freedom of press and the media
The Constitution protects the freedom of the press in Article 56.[ref]https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Guinea_Bissau_1996?lang=en[/ref]
Reports show increasing arbitrary arrests by security forces with no adherence to due process, where arbitrary arrests are also an instrument of political violence.[ref]https://www.state.gov/reports/2020-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/guinea-bissau/[/ref]
Political instability since the coup in 2012 has affected journalism in the country, political and governmental figures intimidate and harass journalists and media outlets. This has led to a regression in freedoms and independence.[ref]https://freedomhouse.org/country/guinea-bissau/freedom-world/2021[/ref]
The government has increasingly meddled in the journalistic direction of the state-owned media, replacing the directors who were unfavourable to the President.[ref]https://rsf.org/en/guinea-bissau[/ref]
There have been two incidents where military forces were used on journalists.
In late February 2020, soldiers occupied and shut down the facilities of the state radio and television broadcasters for several days on behalf of President Embaló.[ref]https://rsf.org/en/guinea-bissau; https://freedomhouse.org/country/guinea-bissau/freedom-world/2021[/ref]
In July, security forces vandalized the headquarters and temporarily took off the air a private radio station known for its opposition to the President.[ref]https://rsf.org/en/guinea-bissau; https://freedomhouse.org/country/guinea-bissau/freedom-world/2021[/ref]
Reporters without borders rates the country 95/180 in the 2021 World Press Freedom Index:
“On the whole, media and journalists continue to be extremely vulnerable to political and economic pressure. The country has only one TV channel, which is controlled by the state, the right of access to information is not guaranteed and journalists still usually censor themselves when covering governmental shortcomings, organised crime and the military’s continuing influence. Some journalists have fled abroad to escape threats and intimidation.”[ref]https://rsf.org/en/guinea-bissau[/ref]