Djibouti has republican structures that place few or no real constraints on presidential power. The People's Rally for Progress dominates politics. The President, who was re-elected in 2005, is a Somali Issa and the Prime Minister is Afar. Cabinet posts are also divided. The President has considerable power, and there have been only two presidents since independence in 1977, with the current President re-elected in 2005.

In January 2003, the country held its first multi-party elections, and the People's Rally for Progress (RPP) won all 65 legislature seats. Opposition parties insist the vote was fraudulent, but international observers indicated that despite irregularities the vote was acceptable. By presidential decree 7 seats in the legislature are reserved for women. There are also 9 members of minorities in the legislature and 3 in the Cabinet. The President's sub-clan of the Issa has disproportionate power in affairs of state, and Afars have senior ministerial posts. Somali clans and citizens of Yemeni origin are limited to one ministerial post each.

The judiciary is not independent of the executive and is corrupt and inefficient. Fair trials are not the norm. Legislation is based on executive decree. A mixture of French and Islamic law with cultural nomadic traditions forms the basis of the law.

Discrimination on the basis of language, race or sex is prohibited but persists.

Serious human rights abuses are committed by security forces, who physically abuse prisoners and detainees in a climate of impunity. Arbitrary and prolonged detention is common. Excessive force is used to break up demonstrations and strikes.

The economy is based on subsistence agriculture, much of it nomadic. The country has little industry and few natural resources. A large detachment of the French Foreign legion is based in Djibouti, and the US government also has a presence in the country, which is strategically situated at the Horn of Africa between Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia. Much of the country's wealth is concentrated in the hands of the elite.

Freedom of speech and of the press are severely curtailed, and journalists are frequently arrested and detained. Electronic communications are monitored. The government regulates the publication of newspapers and owns radio and television stations. The official media are uncritical of leaders and policy, and others practise self-censorship. Foreign media operate in the country. Internet access is through a single government-owned service provider.

Djibouti is a source, transit and destination country for women and children trafficked for the purposes of sexual exploitation and forced labour.

Almost no public funds are provided for education. Primary education is compulsory and tuition-free, but no effort is made to ensure compliance. With expenses for books, transportation, chalk and so on, the cost of education is prohibitive for poor families. School facilities are deficient. A large percentage of highly qualified teachers have left the profession; teacher salaries are in arrears, and teachers' rights have been trampled. Only 20% of children who enrol in secondary school complete their education.

Fewer girls than boys attend school (62% of girls, 73% of boys in primary; 23% of girls, 33% of boys in secondary). Literacy levels for women and girls are low. 53% of the total population is illiterate. Secondary education has a large percentage of teachers from France staffing the schools.

A 2-year programme begins at age 4. 77% of ECE is private. The Net Enrolment Rate (NER) is 1%. At this level there are 39 teachers (77% female), of whom 67% are trained. The pupil/teacher ratio (PTR) is 21 : 1.

Education is compulsory for ages 6 to 15, but this is not enforced. Primary education begins at age 6 and continues for 6 years. 15% of primary education is private. The NER is 33% (29% of girls, 36% of boys). 12% of children repeat grades, and 93% of those who enrol in primary school continue to the last grade. 1,288 teachers (30% female) work at this level. The PTR is 34 : 1.

Students enrol in secondary schools from age 12 for a 7-year programme. 21% of secondary education is private. Technical vocational programmes account for 5% of students in lower secondary and 19% in upper secondary. The NER is 19% (22% of boys, 15% of girls). 6% of children repeat grades. In lower secondary school there are 426 teachers (23% female) and in upper secondary 310 (22% female). The PTR is 34 : 1 in lower secondary schools and 19 : 1 in upper secondary.

Only 1,134 students are enrolled in tertiary education in Djibouti. The Gross Enrolment Rate (GER) is 2%. 1,800 study overseas, mainly in France (1,517), Morocco (73), Malaysia (56) and India (28).

Persons with disabilities have access to education, but no law protects their rights. Little education is available for disabled children.

Djibouti has about 18,000 refugees, of whom about 13,000 are Somali, with the balance being other Somalilanders, Ethiopians, Eritreans and Sudanese. 20,706 refugees reside in two refugee camps. The rest of the refugees are largely in the city of Djibouti. 10,000 asylum-seekers are waiting for determination of their status. The law provides for the granting of asylum or refugee status in accordance with the 1951 U.N. Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees or its 1967 Protocol.

The forced return of Ethiopians, Somalis and Yemeni to their homelands is cause for concern because these countries have killed those who have tried to flee. UNHCR operates the camps and notes that additional services are required for refugees, including in education.

The government discriminates against citizens on the basis of ethnicity. Somali Issas form the majority ethnic group and control the ruling party, the civil service, security services and the military. Clan affiliation limits opportunities for minority groups. Information on the educational rights of minorities is sparse.

Reports do not cite violations of academic freedom, but freedom of speech is curtailed in the country, and teachers have been subjected to harassment and intimidation. This is not a climate conducive to academic freedom.

Women are guaranteed full civil rights, but customary law discriminates against women. Implementation has begun of the 2002 Family Code that is to replace Shari'a in matters pertaining to family.

Domestic violence takes place but is largely unreported to authorities. The police rarely intervene in domestic violence incidents. Almost all adult women (98%) have undergone female genital mutilation, which is usually performed on girls aged 7 to 10.

Child labour for those under the age 14 is illegal, but the provision is not enforced and child labour exists. Children are usually not employed in hazardous work. Children may work in family-owned businesses at any age.

Workers have the right to form and join trade unions, but the right is restricted, and union leaders in the education sector have received brutal treatment from the government. The government owes salary arrears to teachers and civil servants. Union leaders have been dismissed, and government-sponsored unions have been created to replace independent unions. Union rights are not protected in practice, and the government is the main violator of such rights. Collective bargaining does not exist. Wage rates are set according to Ministry guidelines. The right to strike is guaranteed, but strikes are suppressed. The President has powers to require public servants, deemed essential, to continue to work.

The ILO has noted that this power is too broadly defined. The leader of an education union was dismissed following a 1997 strike. He was reinstated in 2002 but was still not teaching at the time of writing in 2006. His salary and those of four other teachers are blocked by order of the Prime Minister. Forced or compulsory labour is illegal. The number of people in the wage sector is small.

Minimum wage rates are set by the government according to occupation. The monthly wage for unskilled labour, set in 1976, was approximately US$125 (22,000 DF); it is not enforced and would not provide a decent standard of living for a worker and family. The work week is 40 hours spread over 6 days.