A dozen private radio stations, a private television station, and numerous independent newspapers and magazines function with little governmental interference. The media, which are often highly critical of the government, play an important role in public debate. Customary law sanctions discrimination against women and is used by traditional courts to resolve civil and family disputes, especially in rural areas, and constitutional and legal protections for women s rights are nonexistent or poorly enforced. Women hold few parliamentary seats or senior government posts. Female genital mutilation is still widely practiced, even though it is illegal and a government campaign has been mounted against the practice.
Labor unions are a strong force in society.
With the exception of individuals employed in essential services, workers enjoy a broad range of legal protections for labor rights, including the right to strike. Several labor confederations and independent unions bargain with employers. Efforts to reform the civil service have been met with marches and strikes, but are considered a vital element of economic progress and improvements in public administration. Approximately four-fifths of the country s nearly 11 million people are subsistence farmers. A major internationally assisted literacy campaign is underway, but poor educational levels remain a major obstacle to development.