x

Universal Periodic Review – MEDIA BRIEF

Monday, 22 October 2012 (Afternoon)

(Disclaimer: The following brief is intended for use of the information media and is not an official record.  The note provides a brief factual summary of the UPR Working Group meeting with the State under review and does not cover all points addressed.  An official summary of the meeting can be found in the Working Group report.)

State under review

Argentina
Represented by 14-member delegation headed by Mr Juan Martín Fresneda, State Secretary for Human Rights, Ministry of Justice and Human Rights of Argentina.

Documents

To access national report, compilation of UN information, and summary of stakeholders’ information, visit the Argentina page on UPR website.

Troika *

Uruguay, Philippines, Austria.

Opening statement by State under review

Few points raised in the  opening statement of State under review:
 (See full statement on the Argentina page on UPR website )

  • A national project was under way to establish a true project of development targeting the most vulnerable populations;
  • The dictatorship of the 1970s led to many human rights violations.  An economic and social tragedy also manifested in 2001 leading to an infringement on the rights of workers in the country;
  • The current President, Cristina Fernández Kirchner, had made great strides to correct the ills of the past through a human rights approach and to build a more robust and equitable society; A number of perpetrators of crimes during the dictatorship had been brought to justice (331 condemnations to date), while others remain on trial;
  • In 2010, as a result of a Presidential decree, a national human rights plan of action was instituted;
  • The Law on Communication and Audio-visual Services of made it possible for citizens to participate actively in public life and upheld the principles of freedom of expression;
  • The poverty rate in the country has also dropped significantly due to a number of national polices put in place;
  • In terms of housing, the State endeavoured to construct 400,000 housing units by 2015 for disadvantaged groups in society;
  • Since the establishment of the Ministry of Security in December 2010, trafficking in persons has dramatically reduced;
  • A number of important measures have been implemented to protect and promote the rights of the child; these include education projects and programmes targeting vulnerable children.  Moreover, a number of juvenile justice centres were put in place in the country;
  • As to domestic violence, the State recently revised a law enhancing the rights of victims; in 2011, some 1,500 victims of trafficking were also rescued;
  • The commemoration of the bicentennial of Argentina provided an opportunity to uphold the rights of indigenous people underpinning a number of new legal initiatives through which, among other things, the participation of indigenous communities in public life was enhanced;
  • A number of measures had also been put in place to address abuse and torture of prison inmates. 

Participants

In total 58 States participated in the dialogue:  26 HRC members and 32 observers  (Statements available on the Argentina page on UPR website).

Positive achievements

Positive achievements noted by delegations included, among others:

  • Steps to address the crimes committed during the dictatorship; in particular cases of enforced disappearances;
  • Progress made in combating discrimination, racism and xenophobia, including the creation of the National Institute to Combat Discrimination, Xenophobia and Racism;
  • Efforts to address cases of domestic violence and violence against women;
  • Advances in the right to education, health, and measures to reduce poverty;
  • Measures to uphold the rights of indigenous people;
  • Legislation protecting the rights of people with disabilities.

Issues and Questions

Issues and questions raised by the Working Group included, among others:

  • Steps to address human trafficking, domestic violence and violence against women;
  • Prison conditions and alleged cases of torture and abuse of inmates;
  • Measures to address human rights violations committed during military dictatorship;
  • Access to public information; 
  • Measures taken to improve social security;
  • The policies and programme to uphold the rights of indigenous people.

Recommendations

States participating in the dialogue posed a series of recommendations to Argentina.  These pertained to the following issues, among others: 

  • A national mechanism for the prevention of torture in accordance with the OPCAT;
  • Human rights education for law enforcement personnel with a focus on the prevention of torture;
  • Investigations into alleged cases of torture perpetrated by law enforcement personnel;
  • Conditions of prisons and detention facilities, including instances of overcrowding and a review of the prison system;
  • Steps to address gender-based violence, and access to justice for victims of domestic violence;
  • Efforts to address human trafficking, including through education and awareness campaigns and services to victims;
  • Ratification of the OP on the CRC concerning communications;
  • Domestic measures pertaining to persons with disabilities;
  • Efforts to reduce maternal mortality and to reach MDG number five;
  • The participation of indigenous people in public life and land rights for indigenous communities;
  • Legislative measures with regard to access to information;
  • Measures to further protect journalists.

Adoption of report of Working Group

The adoption of the report of the UPR Working Group on Argentina is scheduled to take place on Monday, 29 October 2012.

The troikas are a group of three States selected through a drawing of lots who serve as rapporteurs and who are charged with preparing the report of the Working Group on the country review with the involvement of the State under review and assistance from the OHCHR. 

Media contact: Rolando Gómez, Public Information Officer, OHCHR, + 41(0)22 917 9711, rgomez@ohchr.org.