[{"bbox": [90, 120, 1150, 201], "category": "Text", "text": "projects, and the additional financing required to address the impact of the pandemic. While a partial recovery is\nexpected in 2021 (3%) and 2022 (4%), the gap in relation to the average growth of the West African Economic and\nMonetary Union (WAEMU) Gross Domestic Product (GDP) - 5.2% and 6.6% respectively - is further accentuated."}, {"bbox": [90, 212, 1150, 293], "category": "Text", "text": "Under the 2021-2027 Multiannual Indicative Programme (MIP) for Guinea-Bissau, the European Union (EU) has identified three interlinked strategic priorities for its future interventions: (1) human development, (2) green and inclusive economy, and (3) good governance and stability."}, {"bbox": [90, 304, 1150, 412], "category": "Text", "text": "The identification of the MIP priorities were based on consultations with the government and civil society, as well as the analysis of the more recent National Development Plans (Terra Ranka “A fresh start for Guinea-Bissau 2025” and the subsequent Government Programme of the 10th Legislature “Guinea-Bissau in the light of Covid-19 – a new opportunity for a fresh start (2020-2023)”)."}, {"bbox": [90, 423, 1150, 637], "category": "Text", "text": "The key priorities presented in these national plans are: i) Stability and good governance through institutional reform; ii) Investment in human development, with education, health and social protection at its core; iii) Promotion of sustainable and inclusive growth, through economic reform and job creation, productive sectors and urban development, as well as investment in enabling infrastructure and iv) Preservation and protection of the natural capital and biodiversity, combating climate change effects. These priorities are in line with the geo-political orientations of the EU-Africa Strategy, and thus corroborate the EU and Member States' choice of focal sectors for the 2021-2027 programming cycle in the fields of the “Green Deal”, “Alliance for Sustainable Jobs and Growth” and “Alliance for Governance, Peace and Security”."}, {"bbox": [90, 648, 1150, 728], "category": "Text", "text": "Despite the political instability, the EU has maintained a regular dialogue with the national authorities, international organisations and civil society, the latter being also formally consulted while updating the EU Roadmap for engaging with Civil Society."}, {"bbox": [90, 740, 1150, 901], "category": "Text", "text": "Guinea-Bissau is near the bottom of international indexes on almost every Human Development indicator. Covid-19 added a further toll to this structural challenge, with a GDP recession, lower revenues and a higher deficit, and therefore less room for financing expenditure in the social sectors (notably health and education). Therefore, the EU has identified the strengthening of both the health and the educational dimensions as key priorities for intervention. In the area of health, the EU seeks to consolidate significant achievements in maternal and child health and support the transition to a UHC system, in line with the National and Sectoral Development Strategy to fighting inequalities."}, {"bbox": [90, 912, 1150, 1019], "category": "Text", "text": "The action will contribute to progress on a number of SDGs and consequent fulfilment of economic and social rights, and gender equality, in line with Guinea-Bissau's international human rights commitments. It will also contribute to SDG 2.2, calling for an end to all forms of malnutrition, with particular emphasis on children under 5 years of age, adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating women."}, {"bbox": [90, 1029, 1150, 1110], "category": "Text", "text": "Moreover, the action contributes to the EU Gender Action Plan (GAP) III, and particularly its thematic areas of engagement 1) Promoting economic and social rights and empowering girls and women; and 2) Promoting sexual and reproductive health and rights."}, {"bbox": [124, 1141, 377, 1172], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## 2.2 Problem Analysis"}, {"bbox": [90, 1197, 327, 1226], "category": "Section-header", "text": "**Short problem analysis:**"}, {"bbox": [90, 1236, 1150, 1344], "category": "Text", "text": "The national health system in Guinea-Bissau is largely dysfunctional, underfinanced and poorly managed and is highly dependent on funding and activities conducted by the various international development partners. Frequent rotation of health managers and other staff, due to political instability and poor governance, hampers the possibility to offer a comprehensive, integrated health care for the entire population."}, {"bbox": [90, 1355, 1150, 1594], "category": "Text", "text": "The country faces significant levels of undernutrition and widespread food insecurity. The main causes of malnutrition are related to low-quality diets, inadequate access to food, infectious diseases, poor hygiene and inadequate health care for mothers and children as well as inequalities, including gender. Stunting remains at 28% for children under 5 years old. High infant and maternal mortality rates and low coverage of primary health care go hand in hand with poverty, inequalities and poor health outcomes. 43.8% of women of reproductive age are affected by anaemia² and HIV prevalence of 3.3% of the reproductive age population is among the highest in West Africa. Women account for over 70% of cases. The high HIV prevalence among young people (3.6% of pregnant women aged 15-19 are testing positive in antenatal care) is evidence that the transmission of HIV is not decreasing³. Moreover, in Guinea-Bissau, adolescent fertility is high (137 per 1,000 women aged 15-19), aggravated by limited"}, {"bbox": [80, 1621, 245, 1643], "category": "Footnote", "text": "² Source: WHO 2018."}, {"bbox": [80, 1643, 268, 1664], "category": "Footnote", "text": "³ Source: UNICEF 2018."}, {"bbox": [1055, 1690, 1161, 1714], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 4 of 22"}]