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Human Rights Council – Universal Periodic Review

For use of information media; not an official record

Date: Tuesday 9 February (afternoon)

Country under review: EL SALVADOR

Concerned country - national report

  • Represented by a 5-person delegation and headed by the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Mr. Carlos Alfredo Castaneda Magaña
  • National report presented by H.E. Mr. Carlos Alfredo Castaneda Magaña

Highlights

  • Ratified the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
  • Will ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture.
  • Ratified the Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families.
  • Submitted to the Parliament a law on the access to information and public transparency.
  • New Criminal Procedure, Civil Procedure, and Commercial codes.
  • Established a National Commission for Disappeared Children.
  • Commits to adopt and go beyond the provisions of the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women.
  • Standing invitation to all special procedures of the Human Rights Council.

Interactive discussion

Number of States taking part in the interactive discussion

  • Member States: 21
  • Observer States: 21

Positive achievements

  • Commitment to strengthen the protection of human rights after years of civil conflict.
  • Adoption of the Act on the Comprehensive Protection of Children and Adolescents.
  • Initiatives to improve access to education and health facilities.
  • Efforts to enhance job creation.
  • Efforts to fight extreme poverty.

Issues and questions raised

  • Domestic violence and sexual abuse against women and girls.
  • Attacks and intimidation against human rights defenders and journalists.
  • Child labour and violence against children.
  • Use of excessive force and mistreatment by the National Police.
  • Overcrowded prisons.
  • Access to education and healthcare, in particular for women, children, indigenous peoples and physically or mentally disabled.
  • Enforced disappearances.

Recommendations

  • Strengthen protection of women’s rights and combat impunity.
  • Ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women.
  • Ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention for the Protection of All Persons Against Enforced Disappearance.
  • Ensure protection of human rights activists through judiciary action.
  • Include human rights education in the training of army and police forces.
  • Take steps to improve prison conditions and reduce overcrowding.
  • Adopt measures to stop child labour.
  • Create a legal framework to protect and promote rights of indigenous peoples.
  • Modernize the judiciary and combat corruption.
  • Consider ratifying the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
  • Abolish the death penalty.

Response of the concerned country

  • Women’s rights - Law against gender based violence submitted to the Parliament.
  • Rights of the child - Legislation is being reviewed and will be brought into line with standards provided in international human rights treaties.
  • Violence and crime in general – Victim-oriented approach to crime, in regard to the functioning of police forces and the need to overcome impunity.

Adoption of the report by the UPR working group scheduled on
Thursday 11 February, 17:30 – 18:00

More information