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Human Rights Council – Universal Periodic Review

For use of information media; not an official record

Date: Thursday 12 February (afternoon)

Country under review: Angola

Concerned country - national report

  • Represented by a 26-person delegation and headed by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, H.E. Mr. Georges Chikoty
  • National report presented by H.E. Mr. Georges Chikoty

Highlights

  • New Constitution protects human rights and establishes a democratic State.
  • Capital punishment explicitly prohibited by the Constitution.
  • National strategy to reduce poverty.
  • GDP growth of 260% between 2002 and 2008 enabling investments in a wide range of sectors, such as public health and education.
  • Routine vaccinations increased from 35% in 2002 to 80% in 2008.
  • National education plan aimed at reducing illiteracy by 77%.
  • Efforts to integrate children with special need or disabilities into the education system.

Interactive discussion

Number of States taking part in the interactive discussion

  • Member States: 26
  • Observer States: 30

Positive achievements

  • Women’s participation in decision making bodies at the national and local levels.
  • National strategy on domestic violence.
  • Commitment to reduce poverty.
  • Strategies aimed at ensuring compulsory primary education for all children.
  • Inter-ministerial commission to deal with religious issues.
  • Justice Reform Commission to draft laws compatible with international instruments on human rights.
  • Significant reconstruction efforts despite prolonged and devastating war.
  • Ratification of the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights.

Issues and questions raised

  • Impartiality and transparency of the judiciary.
  • Torture and poor conditions in places of detention.
  • Child labour.
  • Girls’ access to schools.
  • Children accused of witchcraft.
  • Maternal mortality and high HIV/AIDS infection rates among women.
  • Freedom of expression, association and assembly.
  • State control over civil society organizations that advocate human rights.

Recommendations

  • Enact legislation to prohibit and punish all forms of trafficking in persons.
  • Adopt a law to eliminate gender-based violence.
  • Strengthen the protection of all children without any discrimination.
  • Strengthen the protection of journalists and civil society activists.
  • End internal displacements and undertake social housing and land reform initiatives.
  • Ensure that eviction of illegal migrants respect human rights and dignity.
  • Allocate additional resources toward the improvement of health infrastructure.
  • Ratify the Convention Against Torture and its Optional Protocol.
  • Ratify the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.
  • Standing invitation to all special procedures of the Human Rights Council.
  • Establishment of an Independent Human Rights Commission.

Response of the concerned country

  • Capital Punishment – Abolished in 1991.
  • Freedom of Press – Existence of several newspapers and radio stations. However, freedom of expression cannot be used as a pretext to violate the law.
  • Arbitrary Detentions – Detentions exist, but they are no longer arbitrary.
  • Intimidation of Journalists and Human Rights Activists – Those who have offended people or entities have been arrested, but the government does not intimidate said groups.
  • Immigration – Angola has expelled over 300,000 illegal migrants and is working bilaterally with the Democratic Republic of Congo to resolve this problem.

Adoption of the report by the UPR working group scheduled on
Tuesday 16 February, 17:30 – 18:00

More information

Country under review (documents submitted): http://www.ohchr.org/en/hr-bodies/upr/upr-main