[{"bbox": [96, 152, 1135, 390], "category": "Text", "text": "Despite the Presidential elections in 2019, The political scene in Guinea-Bissau remains fragmented. The current President has been deploying an impressive diplomatic outreach seeking new political and economic alliances. In July 2022, he was appointed chairman of ECOWAS and since then has played an active role in the management of regional issues. However, the situation in the country is still volatile and political polarisation remains strong. In 2022, ECOWAS deployed a stabilization force as a result of the coup attempt on 1st February 2022 whose circumstances remain unclear. In May 2022, the President dissolved the Parliament and called for legislative elections by the end of the year – which ended-up taking place only on 4 June 2023. These recent elections gave full majority to the opposition PAIGC party, creating further tension, uncertainty and potential instability due to future institutional relations between the Government and the President."}, {"bbox": [96, 403, 1135, 538], "category": "Text", "text": "Despite this scenario, Guinea-Bissau is a party to the main conventions on criminality, namely the 1988 Vienna Convention on drug trafficking and psychotropic substances, the 2003 Mérida Convention on corruption, the 2000 Palermo Convention on transnational organized crime, and many other conventions from the Community Law, namely the Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the West African Economic Monetary Union (UEMOA), Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa (OHADA)."}, {"bbox": [96, 548, 1135, 842], "category": "Text", "text": "Considering this bleak context, both the National Development Plan – NDP (2020-2023) and the EU Multiannual Indicative Programme 2021-2027 for Guinea-Bissau (MIP) aim at providing answers to the above-mentioned problems. The NDP, namely its objective 1 “Consolidate the democratic rule of law, reform and modernise public institutions” intends to provide support to Government’s efforts in the fight against crime, the reinforcement of the presence and authority of the state throughout the national territory, as well as the improvement of access to justice at regional and sectoral level, towards more solid transparency and accountability. This approach is consistent with the main sectoral strategies in the areas of security (Restructuring and modernisation of the Defence and Security Sector, National Integrated Plan to Combat Drug Trafficking and Organised Crime), and justice (National Justice Modernisation and Reform Programme and Centres of Access to Justice and gender equality). The Republic of Guinea-Bissau - EU MIP 2021-2027 a strategic priority focusing precisely on this area “Stability and good governance through institutional reform”."}, {"bbox": [96, 852, 1135, 1330], "category": "Text", "text": "In terms of human rights and specifically women and girls' rights, although Guinea-Bissau has demonstrated commitment to promoting women's empowerment with a number of recent legislation, gender inequality persists at all levels of society, including the executive, legislative and judicial spheres. As an illustrative example, poverty rate amongst women is one of the highest in the world despite country's rich agriculture and fisheries resources. While 80% of women work, the majority of them work in insecure, poorly paid jobs with few opportunities for advancements⁸. Thus, and given that gender-based violence remains an issue affecting many women and children in the country, the topic has become a key priority for the EU In fact, 8% of women aged 20-24 were married before the age of 15 while 18% before the age of 18, resulting in a total early marriage rate of 26%⁹. In this context, the EU's Gender Action Plan III (2021-2025)¹⁰ and respective Country Level Implementation Plan for Guinea-Bissau (CLIP) aim at promoting and fostering gender equality and women's empowerment (GEWE) considering the challenges at national level. A human rights-based approach, ensuring ownership and accountability of authorities, encouraging a broader change in culture working with authorities but as well with Civil society organisations (CSOs), communities and its religious leaders is to be adopted. With regards to disability, a database of persons with disabilities in Guinea-Bissau has been announced, which is expected to contribute to redefining measures and policies for social inclusion. According to the data made public, there are 11,584 people with disabilities in all regions of the country. Oio is the region with the highest number of cases with 2,172 (19%), and Bolama-Bijagós is the region that represents the smallest number of persons with disabilities, with a total of 490 (4%)¹¹."}, {"bbox": [96, 1343, 1135, 1450], "category": "Text", "text": "CSOs in Guinea-Bissau play a fundamental role for the provision of key services to the population especially in remote areas and for vulnerable groups – due to State weaknesses. Moreover, it acts as an important actor to influence and monitor public policies and public service delivery. Both the MIP 2021-2027 and the current EU Roadmap for engaging with civil society in Guinea-Bissau (2021-2025) recognise the importance of civil society"}, {"bbox": [85, 1501, 897, 1526], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁸ Gender Action Plan III 2021-2025 - Country Level Implementation Plan (CLIP) Guinea-Bissau."}, {"bbox": [85, 1526, 343, 1549], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁹ Idem, (CLIP Guinea-Bissau)."}, {"bbox": [85, 1549, 1143, 1622], "category": "Footnote", "text": "¹⁰ Joint Communication to the European Parliament and the Council EU Gender Action Plan (GAP) III – An ambitious agenda for gender equality and women’s empowerment in EU External Action - {SWD(2020) 284 final}. The EU Gender Action Plan (GAP III) was adopted by 24 Member States through the Presidency Council Conclusion on 16 December 2020."}, {"bbox": [85, 1622, 888, 1646], "category": "Footnote", "text": "¹¹ https://www.undp.org/guinea-bissau/news/launch-database-persons-disabilities-guinea-bissau."}, {"bbox": [1038, 1682, 1144, 1706], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 5 of 33"}]