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This policy brief by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines how voluntary sustainability standards (VSS) can enhance the resilience of small-scale producers during crises, specifically the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on a study of six commodity sectors across six countries, the document analyzes the role of certification in mitigating price drops and contract cancellations, while also identifying the limitations of VSS in addressing systemic power imbalances and international market volatility. It concludes with policy recommendations for governments to support smallholder resilience through social protection, minimum pricing, and the stimulation of demand for sustainable products.

This policy brief examines the role of Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS) in enhancing the resilience of small-scale farmers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on a study of six countries (Cambodia, India, Colombia, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, and Rwanda), it finds that VSS can provide higher prices, stronger buyer relationships, and better training, which help farmers mitigate shocks. However, VSS alone cannot protect against global price volatility or asymmetric power dynamics in supply chains. The document recommends that governments complement VSS with social protection, minimum price guarantees, and policies to stimulate demand for sustainable products.

This report analyzes regional trends in cooling access gaps for 2021, focusing on high-impact countries in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and the Caribbean. It highlights an overall increase in populations at highest risk—specifically the rural and urban poor—across all regions, with the COVID-19 pandemic cited as a contributing factor to rising poverty and cooling access challenges.

This document provides guidelines for a call for Expressions of Interest (EOI) issued by the Global Resilience Partnership (GRP), in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and GEF’s Challenge Program for Adaptation Innovation. The initiative seeks to identify and scale innovative financial mechanisms that support private sector resilience solutions in Fragile and Conflict-Prone Least Developed Countries.

This report provides a comparative analysis of the legal and regulatory frameworks governing artisanal gold mining within the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA). It identifies systemic gaps in strategic planning, institutional management, and normative application, while proposing an integrated approach through the creation of 'reserved gold mining zones' to promote sustainable and formalised practices.

The March 2020 Peace & Security Council Report details the African Union's (AU) response to the COVID-19 pandemic, political instability in Guinea-Bissau and South Sudan, geopolitical competition in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, and the AU's marginal role in the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam dispute. It also outlines South Africa's priorities as the 2020 AU chair, focusing on 'Silencing the Guns', the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and gender equality.

This case study examines how potential World Trade Organization (WTO) rules on fisheries subsidies could affect the sardinella fishery in the waters of The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, and Senegal, where overfishing and excessive capacity threaten food security and livelihoods.

This briefing note from the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) argues for the integration of procedural rights—specifically access to information, public participation, and access to justice—into climate governance and the implementation of the Paris Agreement. It highlights the roles of the Aarhus Convention and the Escazú Agreement in promoting environmental democracy and provides specific recommendations for the COP-25 agenda to ensure climate policies are inclusive, rights-based, and gender-responsive.

The October 2019 Peace & Security Council Report by the Institute for Security Studies examines critical security and governance challenges facing the African Union (AU), focusing on the threat of foreign terrorist fighters, the internationalisation of the Libyan conflict, the implementation of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, and the political crisis in Guinea-Bissau.

This briefing note from the Center for International Environmental Law outlines the international legal frameworks and specific UNFCCC entry points for promoting public participation and access to information in climate policies. It emphasizes the need for procedural rights to prevent harm to communities, particularly within the mechanisms of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, and suggests ways to enhance the inclusivity of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and the intergovernmental negotiating process.

This report by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the political instability in Guinea-Bissau leading up to the March 2019 legislative elections. It argues that while elections are a step toward legitimacy, long-term stability requires deep institutional reforms to address the structural weaknesses and constitutional ambiguities that fueled the 2015 political crisis.

This 2019 fact sheet from Sustainable Energy for All tracks populations at risk regarding cooling needs, identifying 1.05 billion people at the highest risk (Rural and Urban Poor) in 2019, a decrease from 1.1 billion in 2018.

This briefing note from the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) outlines opportunities for UNFCCC Parties to enhance public participation and access to information within the implementation guidelines of the Paris Agreement, specifically in the context of COP-24.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies argues that Guinea-Bissau requires a new constitution to resolve chronic political instability and institutional deadlocks. It identifies critical ambiguities in the current semi-presidential regime—specifically regarding the powers of the President and Prime Minister—and proposes reforms based on models from Portugal and Cape Verde to strengthen the rule of law and democratic stability.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies argues for a new Constitution in Guinea-Bissau to resolve chronic political instability and institutional blockages. It identifies critical ambiguities in the current semi-presidential system—specifically regarding the powers of the President and Prime Minister—and recommends structural reforms, including the creation of a Constitutional Court and the constitutionalization of the National Electoral Commission.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), developed for the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Guinea-Bissau (UNIOGBIS), analyzes the electoral legal framework of Guinea-Bissau. It identifies deficiencies in the coordination between electoral bodies, the financial independence of the National Electoral Commission (NEC), and the lack of demographic updates in parliamentary seat allocation. The document recommends comprehensive reforms to the electoral laws and the Constitution to improve transparency, integrity, and the eventual implementation of local elections.

This policy brief analyzes the deficiencies in Guinea-Bissau's electoral framework and recommends reforms to improve the independence of the National Election Commission (CNE), ensure demographic fairness in parliamentary seat distribution, and establish a legal basis for national election observation. It also highlights the long-standing failure to implement municipal elections despite constitutional requirements.

This policy brief analyzes the 1991 Framework Law on Political Parties in Guinea-Bissau and recommends comprehensive reforms to strengthen democratic stability. Key proposals include the creation of a Constitutional Court for party registration and dissolution, the establishment of an independent national political financing commission to curb corruption and enforce spending caps, and the introduction of a 30% gender quota for electoral lists. The document highlights a gap between existing legal provisions for public party funding and the actual lack of financial support provided by the state.

This policy brief examines the legal framework for political parties in Guinea-Bissau, specifically the 1991 Framework Law, and proposes reforms to strengthen democratic functioning, political financing, and gender equity.

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies examines the challenges facing the justice system in Guinea-Bissau, highlighting a history of impunity and the failure to implement key reforms due to political instability. It advocates for the relaunch of the 2015–2019 Justice Reform Programme and constitutional changes to ensure judicial independence and improve access to justice for the population.