Guinea-Bissau is one of the poorest countries in the world. The President of the multi-party republic, elected in 2000, blocked the country's transition to democracy, dissolved the National Popular Assembly in 2002 and was deposed in a military coup in 2003. Military, political and civil society leaders then appointed a President of a transitional government. In elections deemed free and fair, the African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde (PAIGC) gained a plurality of 45 in the 100-seat Assembly. Elections for the presidency in 2005 were expected to end years of dictatorships; a former military ruler was elected President, winning 52% of a run-off vote. There are 14 women members in the Assembly, and women are 3 of 16 government ministers and 2 of 7 state secretaries. All ethnic groups are represented in the government.

The judiciary is slowly gaining independence, but corruption remains a problem. Judges are poorly paid and require training. Traditional practices prevail in rural areas.

Discrimination on the basis of sex and race are prohibited, but these provisions are not enforced. Although evidence obtained through torture is invalid, security forces are accused of using such techniques. Police are now paid regularly but are owed up to 2 years in salary arrears. Impunity and corruption are serious problems. Political killings by security forces are reported.

The country has a massive foreign debt, and its economy relies heavily on foreign aid. The government has renewed relations with the international community. In 1998 a collapsed market was replaced by a barter system. Prior to the military coup in 2003, most public servants had not been paid for up to 2 years, but the government has now resumed salary payments.

Freedom of speech and of the press are guaranteed in law but restricted in practice. Access to government information is not provided in law. The media is becoming more open, and reports indicate there is less self-censorship by journalists. The Internet is not restricted. Children are trafficked internally and externally. No legislation has been passed to deal with trafficking.

Resources available for education are limited, but primary and secondary schools operate and teachers' salaries are paid. The government relies on external support for 90% of its education funding. In 2003 schools were closed for most of the year. Teachers were not paid and had to work elsewhere to earn a living.

Many children of single mothers are not registered at birth and so are denied school access. Legally, primary education is compulsory for ages 7 to 12. But in practice education is neither free nor compulsory. The education system lacks facilities and trained teachers. Some rural schools offer only Grade 1 or Grades 1 and 2. Public schooling should be free through Grade 4, but costs other than tuition are borne by parents.

A UN Development Programme study indicates that 60% of school-age children do not attend school. Some boys attend Koranic schools in Senegal, but many of these are exploited and work as street beggars to earn money for the school leaders.

A 3-year programme begins at age 4. At this level, 62 % of education is private. The Net Enrolment Rate (NER) is 29%.

Education is compulsory for ages 7 to 12; primary school begins at age 7 and continues for 6 years.

Secondary education begins at age 13 and is completed in 5 years.

579 students from Guinea Bissau study overseas, mainly in Portugal (348), Cuba (58), France (44), Morocco (26) and Italy (25).

Discrimination against persons with disabilities is not prohibited in law, nor is access to education for disabled children legally protected. Some effort has been made to assist disabled military veterans through pension programmes, but the rights of disabled children to education have not been addressed.

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. There are about 7,700 Senegalese refugees in the country.

The main ethnic groups are the Balante (27%), the Fulani (23%), the Malinke (12%), the Mandyako (11%) and the Pepel (10%). The Meztisos, Mulattoes and Assimilados, who are of mixed racial descent, though only about 2% of the population, are influential ethnic minorities.

There is no university in the country, but there are institutions for teacher training, nursing and vocational training. Freedom of speech and research are not restricted at these institutions.

Men and women are equal in law, and gender discrimination is prohibited. Traditional and Islamic law are practised in rural areas where discrimination is common. Women in rural areas are responsible for work on subsistence farms and have limited access to education or to other employment. Certain ethnic groups do not allow women to manage land or inherit property.

Violence against women is endemic, though unreported to authorities. Female genital mutilation FGM is practised among the Fulani and the Malinke. The practice is not illegal and is increasing, despite a nationwide education campaign to discourage it being conducted by a national committee.

No laws protect children from exploitation in the workplace. The legal minimum age for work is 14 for general factory labour and 18 for heavy or dangerous labour. The small formal sector generally complies with the law, but inspection and enforcement are lax. Children work as street traders in the city; rural children work as domestics and fieldworkers who are often not paid since they work as part of family groups. Little education is available for them.

Workers have the right to form and join trade unions. The majority of the population are in subsistence agriculture where union membership is not the norm; the majority of union members are government or parastatal employees. Collective bargaining is not provided for in law, but most wages are established in bilateral collective consultations between individual workers and employers. Workers have the right to strike provided prior notice is given. No widespread strikes have taken place since the election. The government resumed paying teachers, civil servants and medical practitioners who had not been paid since 2000. Forced or compulsory labour is illegal but takes place.

The Council of Ministers establishes minimum wage rates for all categories of work but does not enforce them. The lowest monthly wage of US$29.60 (14,800 CFA) per month plus a bag of rice does not provide a decent standard of living for a worker and family. Incomes are supplemented by subsistence farming. The maximum work week is 45 hours, but the government does not enforce this provision.