UNICEF Guinea-Bissau launches U-Report

Bissau, 30 September 2025 – UNICEF Guinea-Bissau, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports and a consortium of five NGOs led by the Bafatá Basic Sanitation, Water and Environmental Protection Association (ASPAAB), with support from Telecel, is proud to announce the official launch of U-Report in Guinea-Bissau.

U-Report is already successfully implemented in 104 countries worldwide, including 42 across Africa, such as neighbouring Guinea and Senegal.

U-Report is UNICEF’s flagship digital platform designed to empower young people by giving them a voice on issues that affect their lives and communities. Through free and confidential channels such as SMS, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and other digital tools, U-Report enables youth to share their views, engage in dialogue, access information, raise awareness and influence decision-making on key topics. This initiative aims to strengthen civic engagement among adolescents and young adults, promoting inclusion, transparency and accountability.

Guinea-Bissau, a West African nation with some of the lowest human development indicators globally, has a notably young population: 42 percent are under the age of 15, and the median age is just 18. However, adolescents (10–19 years) and youth (20–24 years) face significant challenges, including:

• High school dropout rates: 27.7 percent
• Child marriage and early pregnancy, which limit education and employment opportunities, especially for girls
• 30% prevalence of female genital mutilation among girls aged 0–14
• Low awareness of HIV prevention

While internet access is increasing among young people, barriers such as limited infrastructure, high costs and low digital literacy—particularly in rural areas—persist.

"With U-Report, adolescents and youth in Guinea-Bissau now have a stronger and more direct voice to express what truly matters to them. This platform marks a crucial step in ensuring their ideas and concerns are heard and considered in the design of programmes that respond to their needs and aspirations," said Inoussa Kaboré, UNICEF Representative in Guinea-Bissau.

Alfredo Malú, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, added: "Empowering youth voices is an investment in our country’s future. U-Report will be a vital tool to better understand their challenges and work together to build solutions that strengthen our nation. The Government fully supports this initiative in Guinea-Bissau."

The launch of U-Report in Guinea-Bissau joins a global movement active in 104 countries, with over 38 million young participants. The platform will collect data on topics such as education, health, child protection, gender equality and climate change, serving as a foundation for the work of UNICEF, the Government and development partners.

How to participate

One way to register for U-Report is by sending an SMS with the word DJUNTA to 233 (for Telecel users). Others can join by sending the word DJUNTA via Facebook Messenger to the official U-Report Guinea-Bissau page.

UNICEF invites all young people in Guinea-Bissau to join U-Report and become part of this network for social transformation.