Guinea Bissau must urgently prioritise water and sanitation, says Special Rapporteur

The Government of Guinea-Bissau must urgently prioritise water and sanitation services if it wants to improve the lives of its population, particularly women and children, a UN expert said today.

The UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation, Pedro Arrojo-Agudo, made the appeal in a statement at the conclusion of his 10-day official visit to Guinea-Bissau.

“Official statistics indicate that only 24% of the population has access to safely managed drinking water services. During my visit, I was able to put faces to this number and hear life experiences behind them. Lack of access to safe drinking water disproportionately affects the lives and health of women and children who are usually in charge of fetching the water,” Arrojo-Agudo said.

“I met with women and girls who started queuing at 5 a.m. for water. In the dry season, they walk several kilometres to reach remote wells,” the expert said.

Ensuring safe water and sanitation for everyone with no discrimination must be a top priority. “Being a least developed country does not justify the failure to make safe drinking water a priority, especially when women in the most vulnerable situations, despite their hardships, consistently make water a priority,” the Special Rapporteur said.

In addition to the great effort associated with fetching water, the water itself is often unsafe, lacking proper chlorination and disinfection, the expert said. Arrojo-Agudo also expressed alarm over the non-access to safe drinking water and sanitation facilities in schools, health centres, hospitals and detention centres.

“Throughout the country, I heard testimonies about spreading malaria, especially in the rainy season, and frequent diarrhoea affecting children due to inadequate sanitation and unsafe drinking water,” he added.

“I urge the government to conduct a public awareness campaign on the importance of chlorination and even provide the product free of charge,” he said.

The expert insisted that the development of sanitation and waste collection systems was essential to address issues related to water pollution.

Guinea-Bissau must protect its aquifers, which are at risk due to poor sanitation, the expert warned.

“Guinea-Bissau has a treasure in its aquifers and should make consistent efforts to preserve them, particularly in light of the growing risks posed by climate change,” he said. “Studying and mapping aquifers would also help to protect them and optimise their use.”

“Given Guinea-Bissau’s dependence on foreign aid, now at risk of decreasing, prioritising national funding for drinking water and sanitation is more important than ever,” the expert said.

The country’s well-framed water code, established institutions, and experts supported by international cooperation were heartening, he said. “Updating the water code could help prioritise vulnerable populations’ needs and address climate change more effectively.”

Arrojo-Agudo said the absence of local municipal institutions for drinking water and sanitation was a major challenge. Commending community management in Bafatá, he urged the government to support similar programmes.

Guinea-Bissau made progress on transboundary agreements for sustainable basin and Atlantic aquifer management, the Special Rapporteur said. “The country must continue these efforts to avoid problems like the Bidigor River drying up due to an upstream dam or the alleged toxic pollution of the Corubal River by mining—issues I witnessed in Pirada and Tchethé.”

Climate change is extending the dry season to nearly nine months. “In urban areas like Bafatá, Tchethé, Bilonco, and Pirada, aquifer water is declining. In Pirada, residents voiced concerns about desert encroachment from the Sahel,” he said.

With 80% of the population in coastal areas, addressing aquifer salinisation from rising sea levels is urgent. “An extreme case I witnessed is that of the island communities of Djobel who lack water and urgently need dignified resettlement.”

Arrojo-Agudo will present a report on this visit to the UN Human Rights Council in September 2025.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).