Bissau 8 June 2022 - - The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Guinea-Bissau says that 50 percent of women aged 15 to 49 have already been excised, and according to the same survey, women and girls are being left behind in the country.

The figures were revealed, today, in Bissau, at the opening of the discussion meeting for the harmonisation of support to the government of Guinea Bissau through a consultation group of technical and financial partners from the gender and social protection sector, in the presence of more than 30 participants from different institutions intervening in the areas of the gender and social protection in Guinea Bissau.

The meeting, under the initiative of UNFPA, aimed to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of support to the gender and social protection sector and to support the implementation of the Country Programme (2022-2026) in these areas.

The UNFPA representative in the country, Athanase Nzokirishaka, said statistics show that women and girls pay the highest price for all the violence that characterises social, political, cultural and economic relations within society. The representative said this is due to the "high" rate of female illiteracy and sociological constraints.

“Violence against women is a human rights violation that negatively impacts not only women's health, but also security and poverty eradication," he warned..

Representing the Minister of Women, Family and Social Solidarity of the government in office, Lúcio Rodrigues, states that it is urgent and important to promote the fundamental rights of Bissau-Guinean women, as "over 70% of Bissau-Guinean women live in the countryside”.

“Despite the achievements observed, inequality between men and women in Guinea-Bissau persists in the socio-economic, political and social areas. The coordination of efforts is imperative and a concerted fight is increasingly necessary as we are all too few to eradicate this situation," said Lúcio, recalling that the country is witnessing more and more inhumane forms of violence against women.

The Technical Group on Gender and Social Protection under the coordination of the Ministry of Women, Family and Social Solidarity will contribute to the monitoring of the implementation of national policies on Gender and Social Protection..