Eritrea gained independence from Ethiopia in 1993 and became a 1 party state. The Eritrean People's Liberation Front emerged as a political party and became the People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ) in 1994. Presidential and legislative elections have been postponed on numerous occasions. The 1997 Constitution provides for democratic freedoms that are far from reality.

There are 3 women on the 19-member Executive Council and 11 on the 75-member Central Council. One-third of regional National Assembly seats are reserved for women, who may also compete for unreserved seats.

Discrimination against women, persons with disabilities and minority ethnic groups is prohibited but continues.
An independent judiciary is ensured in law but reports indicate it is subject to executive interference. Special courts limit due process. Customary law is used to settle local problems, and Shari'a law can be applied when both parties are Muslims. Traditional courts cannot impose sentences involving physical punishment. Political detainees are reported to be incarcerated. Border incidents continue with Ethiopia and the Eritrean Islamic Jihad Movement (ERIJM). Torture during interrogations is reported.

More than 70% of the population is engaged in farming and herding, and more than one-third of the population depends on foreign assistance. The PFDJ and the military have invested in businesses owned by the party or the military.

Freedom of speech and of the press are guaranteed but are restricted despite legislation. Journalists are harassed and arrested. The private press is banned, and most independent journalists are in detention or in exile. The media are government-controlled. Access to the Internet is not restricted, but the government has announced that it will close all Internet cafes, allowing general Internet access only in libraries and schools.

Less than 3% of the population are reported to be HIV/AIDS positive. Reports do not cite discrimination against those with HIV/AIDS, but discrimination against homosexuals is severe.

Education is compulsory for ages 7 to 13. Tuition-free education is provided, but the costs of uniforms, books, supplies and transportation have to be paid by families, making education too expensive for many families. An Integrated Early Childhood Development Project helps some of the poorest families keep their children in school by providing books, uniforms and other supplies. Education is not compulsory beyond Grade 7, and a tuition fee is then charged in addition to other fees making the burden heavier for the poor.

Schools and teachers at all levels are in short supply, and a shift system limits children to a half day of instruction. The Ministry of Education estimated the Net Enrolment Rate (NER) of primary school-age children in 2002 to be 38%. After an effort to increase primary enrolment, UNESCO reported the NER at 48.7% in 2004. In rural areas young girls leave school early to work at home.

An additional grade has been added to secondary education, and all students are required to attend their final year at a school adjacent to a military training facility. Students do not graduate if they do not complete this final year, making them ineligible for further education. The remote location of these boarding schools has resulted in few female students enrolling for their final year of high school.

Women may earn an alternative secondary school certificate by attending night school after completing national service. A Technical Institute has been opened near the capital, and students who do well in their final year of special studies in schools aligned to the military post and are successful in university entrance exams are then admitted to the Technical Institute and are eligible to attend the University.

For two years the University did not accept any new students, and students wishing to study abroad were often unable to obtain exit visas. Adolescents are denied visas if they are near the age for national service. Children as young as age 5 are denied exit visas if they have parents who live in the Diaspora who have not paid a 2% income tax required of all citizens residing abroad. The illiteracy rate is very high at 75% of the population.

A 2-year programme begins at age 5. At this level, 97% of education is private. The Net Enrolment Rate (NER) is 5%. 492 teachers (96% female) work at this level, and 57% of men and 65% of women are trained. The PTR is 36 : 1.

Education is compulsory for ages 7 to 13. Primary school begins at age 7 and continues for 5 years. The NER is 48.7% (52% of boys, 44% of girls). 33% of students are reported to survive to the last grade of primary school, and 40% of children repeat grades. 8,033 teachers (36% female) work at this level, and 83% of teachers are trained (91% of men, 70% of women). The PTR is 47 : 1.

Secondary education begins at age 12 and is completed in 6 years. 2% of students in secondary education study in technical vocational programmes. The NER is 24%, and 17% of students repeat grades. Secondary teachers number 4,058 (11% female) in total, with 2,241 (10% female) working in lower secondary schools and 1,817 (13% female) in upper secondary schools. 50% of teachers are trained (49% of men, 64% of women). The PTR is 55 : 1 in lower and 39 : 1 in upper secondary school.

4,612 students (13% female) study in tertiary education, and the Gross Enrolment Rate is 1%. Eritrean students study overseas in the USA (127), Jordan (120), Germany (116), Italy (105) and Saudi Arabia (83).

Discrimination is illegal against persons with disabilities in education or in the provision of other state services. Wars have left thousands of people with physical disabilities. A substantial share of budgetary resources is provided to support former fighters, who are regarded as heroes. Little information is available on education provisions for disabled children.

The law does not provide 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, and the government has not put a system in place relating to refugees.

Also living in the country are 75,000 Eritreans and Ethiopians of Eritrean origin who were deported from Ethiopia, more than 100,000 long-term refugees from camps in Sudan and numbers of internally displaced persons. Little information is available on the educational opportunities for children in these groups.

Among the 9 ethnic groups, discrimination against the Kunama is severe because a Kunama opposition group operated out of Ethiopia and was supported by Ethiopian authorities and because Kunamas are seen as ethnically and culturally different from most citizens. Ethiopian nationals are singled out for arrest if they cannot pay the fees to renew their residency permits every 6 months. Information on education of minorities is not available.

Academic freedom is restricted. The status of the University of Asmara, the only institution of higher education, is uncertain, because students are diverted to the Technical Institute and may not continue to the university for the last 2 years. The additional year of secondary school and the time in the Technical Institute make it difficult for students to continue to university.

Many women fought in the independence struggle. Women have a legal right to equal educational opportunities and equal pay for work of equal value, but men have privileged access to education, employment and economic resources and the status of women is not equal to that of men. All women aged 18 to 27 have to participate in national service.

Sexual harassment and abuse of women drafted for national service is reported. Violence against women is pervasive. Female genital mutilation is widespread, reported to be as high as 95% and is practised by almost all ethnic and religious groups.

The government has a national plan of action to protect children from exploitation in the workplace, but child labour continues. The minimum age for employment is 18, but apprentices can be hired at age 14. Young workers and apprentices under 18 are prohibited from performing dangerous or unhealthy labour, but this also happens. Children not in school work on family farms in rural areas and as street vendors in urban areas.

Workers have the right to form and join trade unions. Some government policies restrict freedom of association. The civil service, military, police and other designated essential services are not allowed to unionise. Collective bargaining takes place with a tripartite board of workers, employers and the Ministry of Labour expected to resolve issues. The right to strike is permitted. Forced or compulsory labour is prohibited but takes place.

In the civil service, wages range from US$24 to US$288 (325 to 3,900 nakfa) per month. This does not provide a decent standard of living for a worker and family. The standard work week is 44½ hours.