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5 Facts about Poverty in Guinea-Bissau

Poverty in Guinea-Bissau
Guinea-Bissau is a small West African country with a population of fewer than 2 million, bordered by Senegal, Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean. Although the country gained its independence from Portugal in 1974, its subsequent history has been marked by continuous instability and frequent coup d’états. Moreover, Guinea-Bissau suffers from high levels of poverty, economic fragility and a dire lack of medical and nutritional resources, ranking it among the poorest nations in the world. Below are five key facts necessary to understand poverty in Guinea-Bissau.

5 Facts about Poverty in Guinea-Bissau

  1. Poverty in Guinea-Bissau is a widespread issue. Nearly 65% of the population lives below the poverty line. Many families rely on unstable employment in the informal economy or remittances from migrant workers abroad, but cannot generate enough income to support themselves long-term. Other factors such as corruption and organized criminal activity have also hindered residents from achieving financial stability. Additionally, poverty in Guinea-Bissau disproportionately impacts women and children, who face restrictions in owning or inheriting property and are subject to constraints on social freedoms such as early and forced marriage.
  2. The country faces a high risk of infant mortality. Guinea-Bisseau’s high infant and maternal mortality rates offset a large reproductive-age population that ranks 13 in the world in terms of total fertility rate. Early childbearing and a lack of access to vital health care resources are among several factors that greatly contribute to high mortality rates. Maternal and newborn health coverage is primarily limited to urban areas, with only 40% of women making at least 4 antenatal care visits in comparison to 71% in urban regions.
  3. Agriculture is a primary yet relatively unprofitable industry. Guinea-Bissau’s economy heavily depends on agriculture, yet lacks other critical infrastructure. Though the country is rich in unexploited mineral deposits and offshore oil, it remains focused on cashew production, which constitutes 95% of its exports. Additionally, approximately 85% of the population is dependent on cashew farming, which puts most of the country at risk of food insecurity when subject to cashew price fluctuations. Low prices offered by major commercial purchasers for the crop in 2021 and 2022 forced rural farmers to resort to local bartering, cutting their flow to regular income, food and medicine, and instead fueling cartel activity.
  4. An alarming number of children suffer from malnutrition. Approximately 28% of the children in Guinea-Bissau under the age of five suffer from stunted growth. Poverty is directly correlated to malnutrition, as stunting rates in poor households are more than twice those in wealthy households. Malnutrition in children can also be attributed to a lack of knowledge regarding child feeding practices, poor access to nutritious foods, inadequate prevention and treatment of common illnesses and inadequate nutrition screening and care.
  5. Education is often inaccessible and undervalued. Only 12% of children aged 7-14 have basic reading skills and only 7% can demonstrate numeracy skills. Most schools lack conducive learning conditions, such as qualified teachers and adequate water and sanitation facilities. Due to the cost of sending a child through the education system, especially for those located outside of urban areas, nearly one-third of children in Guinea-Bissau are out of school. Those who attend are discouraged from continuing past primary education as a result of frequent teacher strikes, sexual harassment and early marriage. Among the most disadvantaged are young girls and children with disabilities, who are also more likely to be multi-dimensionally poor than their other peers.

Changing the Future: UNICEF

Today, organizations such as UNICEF continue to work to improve living conditions in many areas of Guinea-Bissau. UNICEF is currently partnered with the country’s Ministry of Health and helps support the distribution of  Vitamin A and deworming supplements for children under 5. UNICEF has also played a key role in establishing inpatient and outpatient treatment for severe acute malnutrition in 78 health care centers throughout Guinea-Bissau. Lastly, the organization has partnered with the Ministry of National Education and Higher Education (MENES) to provide training to schoolteachers and decrease teacher absenteeism, ultimately targeting education quality and student retention rates.

Conclusion

Despite improvements in the past decade, Guinea-Bissau still suffers from multidimensional poverty and remains far below its socioeconomic potential. Political conflicts and strong wealth disparities in the West African nation have constrained its ability to make tangible progress in several developmental indicators such as food security and better wages. Looking forward, poverty in Guinea-Bissau must remain the focus of international aid and development initiatives to ensure growth and security for children and adults alike.

– Oumaima Jaayfer, Moon Jung Kim
Photo: Flickr
Updated: June 10, 2024