Guinea-Bissau Society

by ebizdir · Published May 15, 2023 · Updated May 22, 2023

Guinea-Bissau is a small, West African nation located on the Atlantic coast, bordered by Senegal and Guinea. With a population of 1.8 million people, it is one of the smallest countries in the region. Despite its size, Guinea-Bissau has a rich cultural heritage and diverse population.

The majority of people in Guinea-Bissau are members of various ethnic groups including Fula, Balanta, Manjaco and Papel. These ethnicities share many cultural traits such as language, music and food. The official language is Portuguese but many other languages are spoken such as French, Mandinga and Kriolu.

The majority of the population lives in rural areas where subsistence farming is common. Fishing is also important for many households along the coastline. The economy mainly relies on agriculture with cashew nuts being one of the main commodities exported to other countries in Africa and Europe.

The traditional social structure includes extended family networks with close ties between generations. Many families have adopted modern values such as gender equality but there are still some traditional gender roles that remain in place such as women taking care of domestic duties while men work outside the home to provide for their families.

Religion plays an important role in society with over 90% of people being Muslim or Christian (mostly Catholic). Traditional beliefs are also practiced by some communities across the country which often involve ancestor worship and animism alongside mainstream religious practices.

Education is relatively low with only around half of all adults having completed primary school education or higher levels of education according to recent estimates from UNESCO (2016). Health care services are inadequate and access to healthcare facilities is limited due to lack of resources which has resulted in high levels of infant mortality rate (IMR) among children under five years old (74 per 1000 live births).

Overall, Guinea-Bissau can be described as a country facing many challenges due to its small size, lack of resources and limited access to education and health care services despite its rich cultural heritage and diverse population.

Demographics of Guinea-Bissau

Guinea-Bissau is a small West African nation located on the Atlantic coast. According to wholevehicles.com, it is bordered by Guinea and Senegal and has a population of around 1.9 million people. The majority of the population is ethnically diverse, composed of Fula, Balanta, Manjaco and Papel ethnic groups who share many cultural traits such as language, music and food. The official language is Portuguese but many other languages are spoken such as French, Mandinga and Kriolu.

The majority of the population live in rural areas where subsistence farming is common. Fishing is also important for many households along the coastline. The economy mainly relies on agriculture with cashew nuts being one of the main commodities exported to other countries in Africa and Europe. The traditional social structure includes extended family networks with close ties between generations.

Gender roles remain traditional in Guinea-Bissau with women taking care of domestic duties while men work outside the home to provide for their families. Religion plays an important role in society with over 90% of people being Muslim or Christian (mostly Catholic). Traditional beliefs are also practiced by some communities across the country which often involve ancestor worship and animism alongside mainstream religious practices.

The median age in Guinea-Bissau is 18 years old with a gender ratio that favors males at 0.99 males per female (2019 est.). Infant mortality rate (IMR) among children under five years old stands at 74 per 1000 live births due to inadequate health care services and limited access to healthcare facilities (World Bank 2018). Life expectancy at birth was estimated to be 57 years for males and 59 years for females in 2018 (World Bank 2019).

Education levels remain low with only around half of all adults having completed primary school education or higher levels according to recent estimates from UNESCO (2016). Youth literacy rate stands at 66% for males and 54% for females according to World Bank estimates from 2016-2017.

Poverty in Guinea-Bissau

Poverty is an endemic issue in Guinea-Bissau, with over 75% of the population living below the poverty line according to the latest estimates from World Bank (2020). The country is one of the poorest in Africa, ranking 176 out of 189 countries on the Human Development Index (HDI) in 2019. This figure reflects a general lack of economic development and poor living standards across the country.

The majority of people in Guinea-Bissau live in rural areas and are engaged in subsistence farming and fishing as their main source of income. However, due to limited access to resources and markets, these activities are not always enough to provide for their families. In addition, many families have difficulty accessing basic services such as healthcare and education due to high costs or geographical distance from service providers.

The lack of economic opportunities has resulted in widespread poverty among households across Guinea-Bissau. According to World Bank estimates from 2018, over 45% of people live on less than $1.90 per day while an additional 19% live on less than $3.20 per day – both figures far below the international poverty line set by the World Bank at $5.50 per day (2018).

Income inequality is also a major issue with large disparities between rural and urban populations as well as between different ethnic groups within each region. For example, members of minority ethnic groups such as Balanta and Papel communities tend to suffer greater levels of poverty due to discrimination and lack access to education or employment opportunities compared to other groups (World Bank 2020).

The government’s efforts towards alleviating poverty have been limited by a lack of resources and capacity as well as political instability since independence in 1974 (World Bank 2020). In recent years, however, there have been some positive developments including increased foreign aid from international organizations such as the World Bank which has helped fund social protection programs including cash transfers for vulnerable households (World Bank 2019).

Despite these efforts, much more needs to be done in order for real change to take place across Guinea-Bissau. This needs to include increased investment into infrastructure projects such as roads and power grids that will help connect rural communities with markets; improved access towards education so that more people can gain skills needed for higher paying jobs; better management of natural resources; increased employment opportunities; improved health care services; strengthened governance institutions; and enhanced public awareness about rights related issues such as gender equality (World Bank 2020). Only through sustained effort can a brighter future be achieved for all citizens living in Guinea-Bissau.

Labor Market in Guinea-Bissau

According to Countryvv, the labor market in Guinea-Bissau is characterized by a high rate of unemployment, a lack of adequate skills among the workforce, and an informal economy that is largely unregulated. According to the World Bank (2020), the official unemployment rate in Guinea-Bissau stands at around 24%, while the actual rate is likely much higher when taking into account those who are underemployed or working in the informal sector. This high rate of unemployment has been attributed to a number of factors including limited economic growth due to political instability, low levels of investment from both domestic and foreign sources, and limited access to education and skills training.

The majority of people employed in Guinea-Bissau work in the informal sector with very few having access to formal employment opportunities. This is due to a lack of adequate job creation measures from both public and private sector employers as well as an inadequate legal framework for regulating labor relations. As such, many workers are subject to exploitation by employers who do not provide them with basic labor rights such as minimum wages or social security benefits.

In addition, there is also a large gender disparity within the labor market with women generally earning lower wages than their male counterparts and having fewer opportunities for advancement. This is due to entrenched gender norms within society that place greater value on men’s work over women’s work as well as discrimination against women in hiring practices.

The government has taken steps towards addressing these issues by introducing legislation that seeks to protect workers’ rights and promote gender equality within the workplace. However, enforcement of these laws remains weak due to limited resources and capacity constraints within government institutions tasked with this responsibility.

In order for real change to take place within Guinea-Bissau’s labor market it will be necessary for both public and private sector actors to take action towards creating more formal employment opportunities for citizens while also ensuring that all workers have access to their basic rights regardless of gender or other characteristics. It will also be important for increased investments into education and skills training so that members of society can gain the skills needed for higher paying jobs while also helping reduce poverty levels across the country. Only through sustained effort can a brighter future be achieved for all citizens living in Guinea-Bissau.