Equatorial Guinea
Population size:
1,335, 986 [1]
Number of people experiencing domestic abuse each year:
National data from Equatorial Guinea's first Demographic and Health Survey conducted by the Ministry of Health and Social Wellbeing in collaboration with the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development, and Public Investments, was collected between July and November 2011, from a representative sample of 5,400 people, including 3,575 women between the ages of 15 and 49 years old, and 1,825 men between the ages of 15 and 59 from half of the households surveyed. The survey results indicated the following:
- 65 percent of women between 15 and 49 years old said they experienced some type of domestic violence, including physical, sexual and emotional violence;
- 57 percent of non-single women in relationships between the ages of 15 and 49 have experienced acts of physical or sexual violence in their relationship;
- 78 percent of women who are separated or divorced from their partners or husbands experienced domestic violence;
- 54 percent of the women surveyed experienced acts of domestic violence in the 12 months before the survey was conducted.[2]
No research on male victims or other gender identities.
Cost of domestic abuse to the economy each year:
No research.
Estimated % change due to COVID-19:
No research.
Current law and policy:
The government commits to implementing a comprehensive programme to address the high-levels of domestic violence in Equatorial Guinea.
Rape is illegal, but marital rape is not. Victims of domestic violence are reluctant to report cases, and the government does not effectively enforce the law. Domestic violence is widely culturally accepted in Equatorial Guinea with 57% of women experiencing domestic violence. The common attitude of authorities is to treat domestic violence as a private matter to be resolved in the home and are therefore reluctant to prosecute. Further, there are no publicly published statistics on prosecutions, convictions or punishments for domestic violence.
The Ministry of Social Affairs and Gender Equality in 2018 began mediating some domestic violence disputes. However, it has no enforcement powers. Simultaneously, the police have begun organising workshops on family violence. The government-controlled media makes regular public service announcements regarding domestic violence.
The government a new 5-year programme (2019-2023) with the UNFPA. Regarding gender equality and domestic violence the programme works to implement a comprehensive programme to response to the high levels of domestic violence. In order to achieve this: a) conducting evidence-based adomestic violenceocacy to strengthen policy and legal frameworks that address GBV including sexual violence; b) strengthening intersectoral referral mechanisms among health, police and justice, to ensure effective and coordinated responses to GBV, particularly sexual violence; c) building capacities to implement programmes and protocols for the prevention of GBV and care for those affected; and d) promoting adomestic violenceocacy and policy dialogue that focus on the development, implementation, improvement and reform of legal frameworks (legislation, policies and strategies) to adomestic violenceance women and girls empowerment and safeguard the sexual and reproductive rights of adolescents and young people. The UNFPA alongside the government intends to systematically carry out quarterly and annual programme reviews utilising performance indicators. The UNFPA with its partners intends to conduct field monitoring.
In April 2020 Equatorial Guinea joined 146 UN members states in signing a Joint UN statement to address the rise of gender based and domestic violence during COVID-19. Committed making prevention and redressing gender-based violence as part of their national and a global response.
Public spending - Country Reports 2006 indicates that the government of Equatorial Guinea did not have a shelter, a hotline, or other services available for victims of domestic violence. Country Reports from 2007 indicated that the government planned to start constructing shelters in Malabo and Bata in 2008. However, the 7 January 2010 UN Human Rights Council report states that there are no shelters in Equatorial Guinea (para. 66). [3]
Sources
[1] The World Bank, (1).
[2] https://www.refworld.org/docid/53ecc39e4.html
[3] ibid.
Further Reading
[1] https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2018/country-chapters/equatorial-guinea
[2] https://www.genderindex.org/wp-content/uploads/files/datasheets/2019/GQ.pdf
[3] https://evaw-global-database.unwomen.org/en/countries/africa/equatorial-guinea