The republic of Gabon is dominated by a strong presidency and the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG), which has been in power since 1968. The President is Africa's longest-serving head of state and won 79.2% of the vote in 2005. Opponents complained of vote-rigging, but the election commission said the poll was fair. The President ruled a 1-party state for 23 years before introducing a multi-party system in 1991.

The President can veto legislation, dissolve the national legislature, call new elections and issue decrees that have the force of law when the legislature is not in session. Constitutional amendments have removed all term limits. Government ministers and heads of parastatals are appointed by the President. There are 11 women in the 120-seat National Assembly, 12 women in the 91-seat Senate and 5 women in the 43-member Cabinet.

All major ethnic groups occupy prominent positions, but the Bateke have a very large number of key positions in security forces. The President himself is Bateke. Indigenous Pygmies are on the fringe of the political process, and little effort is made to include them. The judiciary is independent in law but susceptible to government influence. In rural areas minor disputes can be resolved by a local chief.

Discrimination based on national origin, race, gender or opinion is prohibited, but the law is not enforced.

Security forces are accused of torturing detainees to extract confessions, and police use of force has resulted in deaths. The UNHCR received reports of harassment and extortion of refugees by security forces. Demonstrations and strikes are violently broken up.

Oil revenues contribute more than half of the budget. The per capita income is $4,580, with wealth distribution highly skewed. Financial mismanagement and corruption are reported.

Freedom of speech and of the press are guaranteed, but the 2 radio and 2 TV stations that broadcast throughout the country are owned by the government. Satellite TV reception is available. Private telephone conversations and mail are said to be monitored.

A law to criminalise child trafficking has been enacted, but the country remains a destination for trafficked children. Women and children are trafficked for sexual exploitation. Girls from Benin and Togo are used as domestic servants or have to work in the informal sector. Reports accuse some government officials of employing trafficked foreign children as domestic workers; individual police and immigration officers are accused of facilitating child trafficking. The government and the ILO have launched a project to prevent child trafficking and child labour.

Education is compulsory to age 16; fewer than half of the eligible children of secondary school age attend school, while attendance rates for immigrant children are even lower. Children of non-citizen Africans have less access to education and are often child labourers. Public schools accept immigrant children, who are now encouraged to attend. The cost of books, uniforms and other school supplies has to be paid by parents, and this excludes many children.

Schools and salaries of teachers are on the decline, particularly in rural areas. The government closed a secondary school in Libreville after students rioted to protest the lack of free bus transportation. 4,000 academic scholarships have been provided. 64% of women and 78% of men are reported as literate. Educational opportunities are sparse for Pygmies since they are nomadic and do not stay long in any one place.

A 3-year programme begins at the age 3. At this level, 73% of education is private. The Gross Enrolment Rate (GER) is 14%.

Education is compulsory for ages 6 to 16. Primary school begins at age 6 and continues for 6 years. 49% of primary students are girls. The GER is reported at 130%. Of students who enrol in Grade 1, 56% finish primary school. 34% of students repeat grades. 7,807 teachers (45% female) work at this level, and all are trained. The pupil/teacher ratio (PTR) is 36 : 1.

Secondary education begins at age 12 and is completed in 7 years. 3% of students in lower secondary and 19% in upper secondary education study in technical vocational programmes. The GER is 62% in lower secondary and 32% in upper secondary school. 22% of students repeat grades. Secondary teachers number 2,504 in lower secondary (17% female). The PTR is 31 : 1 in lower secondary.

Gabonese students studying overseas are in France (2,866), Canada (228), Germany (150), Morocco (107) and USA (105).

No laws prohibit discrimination against persons with disabilities or provide for access to services. Social discrimination is reported, and employment opportunities and treatment facilities are limited.

Several measures have been taken to address the special needs of disabled children, including a centre for hearing-impaired children and 2 private institutions for children unable to attend schools because of disability. Special orthopaedic apparatus is sometimes provided to children with mobility problems. All disabled children are given educational grants, and physically disabled children have the right to attend all primary, secondary and higher education establishments. Buildings are not necessarily accessible to the disabled.

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 and its 1967 Protocol, and the government has established a system for providing protection to refugees. Gabon had few refugees until the mid-1990s when tens of thousands of people fleeing the spreading civil conflict in the Republic of the Congo arrived and settled adjacent to existing villages in rural areas. Many have since moved to urban settings.

About 13,500 refugees remain in the country, 12,000 are from the Republic of the Congo and the balance from Chad and other countries. Some Congolese refugees have voluntarily repatriated from Gabon. The UNHCR continues to implement primary and some secondary education and skills training for refugee children in cooperation with NGOs.

The Baka (Pygmies) live in the rainforest. They have equality in law, but they live according to their traditions and local-decision making structures. Social discrimination is strong against Pygmies, many of whom live in extreme poverty. No specific government programmes assist Pygmies. An NGO study of the Pygmy population found that most live and work on plantations for a plate of rice and a few cents per day, conditions that are tantamount to slavery; in fact, the report described Pygmy children born in these situations as the property of the master. A typical family lives on the equivalent of US$0.13 cents per day.

Reports do not indicate restriction of academic freedom. The government does not restrict access to the Internet. Criticism of the government is not easily accepted, so it is questionable how free academics are in their work.

Women have the right to equality of access in education, business and investment, but social discrimination is still evident, especially in rural areas.

Domestic violence is common especially in rural areas. Police rarely intervene in such incidents, and complaints are not filed. Female genital mutilation is reported among the resident African non-citizens. Cases are cited of sexual exploitation of female domestic workers, often children.

Children under age 16 may not legally work without the consent of the Ministries of Labour, Education, and Public Health, yet child labour remains a serious problem. Violations of the minimum age for work can result in penalties. The law is enforced in urban areas with respect to citizen children, and few under age 18 work in the formal wage section. But life is very different for children of non-citizens and for citizens in rural areas. Foreign children work in markets or as domestic servants, and school is often not an option for them.

Workers have the right to form and join trade unions. The private sector workforce is unionised. Collective bargaining sets wages for industries. Non-union workers are covered by the collective contract for their sector. The right to strike is permitted, except for public sector employees if the strike may jeopardise public safety. A "social truce" agreement between trade unions, employers and the government is close to collapse as unions threaten strike action, claiming the government and employers have not complied with the agreement's terms. Forced or compulsory labour is prohibited but occurs.

The monthly minimum wage is about US$120 (60,000 CFA); government workers receive an additional monthly allowance of US$40 (20,000 CFA) per child as well as transportation, housing and family benefits. A 40-hour work week is standard.