UNDP enhanced access to justice for women and promoted gender equality, including through its strategic collaboration with the Bar Association, Judicial Police, Centres of Access to Justice (CAJ) and civil society organizations (CSOs). Awareness-raising activities in 33 rural communities reached over 3,000 people, including 1,465 women.
With UNDP’s support and seven offices spread across the country, CAJ continued to facilitate people’s access to justice, particularly in remote and underserved areas of Guinea-Bissau. In 2023, CAJ assisted 3,783 individuals, including 1,716 women. In 55 cases, domestic violence was involved and in 22 cases sexual and gender-based violence was concerned.
UNDP supported the establishment of an office for incipient legal aid model, the Office of Assigned Lawyers, within the Bar Association of Guinea-Bissau. In 2023, the Office was visiting detention centers, uncovering instances when individuals were held without legal representation or for a period that was unlawfully long, and documenting other human rights violations. With the support of the Office of Assigned Lawyers, eight detainees were granted parole in December 2023. Additionally, through the CAJ referrals, the Office received and processed 40 cases all of which were transitioned into judicial proceedings.
In 2023, Guinea-Bissau faced political and security turmoil. After the dissolution of the National People's Assembly in May 2022, parliamentary elections were held in June 2023, which led to the establishment of a new National People's Assembly and a new Government. However, after just a few months, in December 2023, the President dissolved both the Assembly and the Government, amid clashes between security forces and on the basis of an alleged attempted coup d’etat. Following the December events, in January 2024, a new Government of Presidential initiative was established. The year was therefore marked by frequent leaderships changes in key institutions, with three justice ministers and two general prosecutors serving within the year. The Supreme Court saw its president coerced into resignation by armed individuals, leaving the court without a leader and under the guidance of the vice-president.
The country's chronic political instability and insecurity, weak institutions and highly centralized justice system have directly impacted its judiciary and impunity levels. Access to justice, an essential prerequisite for upholding the rule of law and protecting human rights, remains a challenge for women and youth, particularly in rural areas. In recent years, positive legal changes 1 for women’s rights have occurred in Guinea-Bissau, however, the application of legislation is hindered by systemic challenges. Having little confidence in state institutions, people resort to traditional justice systems, which fail to uphold international human rights principles, especially women's rights.
In this complex context, UNDP succeeded in enhancing access to justice for women and promoting gender equality, including through its strategic collaboration with the Bar Association, Judicial Police, Centres of Access to Justice (CAJ) and civil society organizations (CSOs), such as RENLUV 2 and the Association of Women Jurists. The grassroot presence and networks of the latter contributed to the success of extensive outreach campaigns. Combining efforts of the Bar Association and CSOs was UNDP’s innovative approach to address gender-based violence more effectively, and provide judicial support to survivors. Notably, UNDP led the initiative of awareness-raising campaigns operating in rural areas, amplifying outreach and support to marginalized communities.
Awareness-raising activities in 33 rural communities reached over 3,000 people, including 1,465 women. Women and men received information about their rights, domestic violence, mechanisms for reporting sexual and gender-based violence, sexual and reproductive health, early and forced marriage, female genital mutilation, and other matters. These meetings demonstrated that people in rural areas were still largely unaware about legal avenues to protect their rights, and that domestic violence remained a taboo topic in communities, considered a family matter.
With UNDP’s support and with seven offices spread across the country, CAJ continued to facilitate people’s access to justice, particularly in remote and underserved areas of Guinea-Bissau. In 2023, CAJ assisted 3,783 individuals, including 1,716 women. In 55 cases, domestic violence was involved, while sexual and gender-based violence was concerned in 22 cases.
UNDP supported the establishment of an office for incipient legal aid model, the Office of Assigned Lawyers, within the Bar Association of Guinea-Bissau. In 2023, the Office started visiting detention centers, uncovering instances when individuals were held without legal representation or for a period that was unlawfully long, and documenting other human rights violations. With the support of the Office of Assigned Lawyers, eight detainees (all men) were granted parole in December 2023. Additionally, through the CAJ referrals, the Office initiated judicial proceeding for 40 cases of unlawful detention .
To align the interventions in Guinea-Bissau with broader regional and global priorities, UNDP supported and build on the participation of a Counselor Judge from the Supreme Court of Guinea-Bissau in the First Meeting of African Women Judges in Libreville, Gabon. In partnership with the National Center for Judiciary Training, a training led by the Counselor Judge was organized for 40 women working in the judiciary: magistrates, judges, lawyers, including from CAJ. The session equipped women justice professionals with the knowledge on gender equality, career management and women’s empowerment. Moreover, it was an initial step to establish a network of women legal professionals in Guinea-Bissau: to facilitate knowledge sharing, support and collaboration among women in the legal field. The concept of creating networks of women professionals dedicated to advancing gender equality and human rights can be adapted to other professions or fields where these principles are prioritized.
One of the project components – a gender audit of the judiciary to address gender equality gaps in the justice systems – faced challenges linked to the political instability that engulfed Guinea-Bissau. This includes the dissolution of the National Assembly for over a year and changes in key leadership positions, such as the Prosecutor-General and the Minister of Justice and Human Rights. This component, however, remains a vital part of the project, and strategies are being developed to ensure the project progresses toward its objectives in 2024. It is expected that continued collaboration with CSOs and other national partners can help maintain momentum and reinforce advocacy for gender equality and justice reform.