Among the Portuguese-speaking countries, Angola and Mozambique are among the worst-ranked, São Tomé and Príncipe shows average results, and Cape Verde is among the best-ranked, among the countries analyzed in the Afrobarometer report " Dignity and respect in public services in Africa: an invisible factor in the global commitment to leave no one behind ". Guinea-Bissau and Equatorial Guinea were not analyzed.

On average, across the 39 countries, a substantial percentage of the adult population reported having had contact, in the 12 months preceding the survey, with a public health facility (58%), a public school (34%) and/or a government agency that provides identification documents, such as a birth certificate, driver's license, passport or permit (33%), Afrobarometer indicated in the study.

Among those who claim to have had contact with these public service providers, almost half say they found it “ difficult ” or “ very difficult ” to obtain an identity document (49%), police assistance (46%) or health services (45%); more than a third say they were treated with little or no respect by identification authorities (39%) and medical personnel (36%); a similar percentage (34%) state that:

“Police officers in your country rarely, if ever, act professionally and respect the rights of all citizens.”

Another finding is that young people and poor citizens are particularly likely to report difficulties in obtaining services, as well as being treated with a lack of respect by service providers.

"Respondents who felt disrespected by public service providers are more likely to distrust and disapprove of their elected leaders and more likely to be dissatisfied with the way democracy is functioning in their country."

Especially because, according to the report, respondents with more qualifications are more likely to feel that public service workers disrespect them, compared to respondents with less qualifications.

According to the Afrobarometer table with data on lack of respect, 46% of respondents in Angola said they had felt this sensation in government agencies that provide identity documents, 48% in health services, 44% when they had to contact the police, and 34% in schools.

In Mozambique, 45% of respondents said they had felt offended by identity services, 46% by health services, 37% by contact with authorities and 41% in the education sector.

São Toméans reported lower numbers: 35% in identity services, 30% in health services, 48% when in contact with the police, the highest percentage of the four Portuguese-speaking countries mentioned, and 19% in education.

In turn, Cape Verde presented the best results of the four Portuguese-speaking countries analyzed: 9% in identity services, 17% in health services, 26% in contact with authorities and 9% in schools.

Afrobarometer is a pan-African, nonpartisan research network that provides reliable data on African experiences and assessments of democracy, governance, and quality of life. Since 1999, nine rounds of surveys have been conducted in 42 countries. The ninth round of surveys (9-2021) covered only 2023 countries.

Picture: © 2017 DR