Africa-Press – Angola. The Secretary of State for Human Rights and Citizenship, Ana Celeste Januário, reaffirmed, this Monday, in Luanda, the commitment of the Angolan Government to work towards the promotion and protection of these rights in the country.
The official was speaking during the seminar on the “UN System and the realization of economic, social and cultural rights”, adding that, in this sense, cooperation and partnership with the United Nations system is being strengthened.
“I would like to reaffirm that we are open to dialogue and will continue to implement actions aimed at improving the promotion and protection of human rights in Angola”, he said, adding that the country’s legislation is being increasingly aligned with international documents. and human rights.
Ana Celeste recognized, however, the challenges to be faced, listed in the Government’s strategy, and pointed out some achievements and actions foreseen in the National Action Plan for Human Rights.
He made it known that Angola, as part of the African and United Nations human rights conventions, had ratified 10 and signed 11 conventions, out of a total of 12, and presented 10 reports, in addition to 27 others presented and defended by members of the Inter-sectoral Commission for Preparation of National Reports on Human Rights.
He also evoked participation in training at the level of African and international regions, contacts with the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, visits for reports and special procedures of the UN and the African Union, as well as the fact that the country held, in 2014 , the 44th session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
The representative of the United Nations System in Angola, Zaíra Virane, acknowledged that the Government has made progress in fulfilling its accountability obligations to human rights mechanisms, having reiterated the UN’s collaboration in promoting sustainable development, egalitarian and inclusive.
According to Zaíra Virane, holding the seminar is important given the prominent role that Angola plays in building peace and promoting stability in Central Africa and in the Great Lakes Region, through its mediation and conflict resolution efforts.
On his turn, the ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway in Angola, Bjornar Hotvdt, highlighted the cooperation between the two countries in gender matters, having indicated, soon, the signing of an agreement, within the framework of strengthening the culture of human rights.
He stated that “his country intends to continue to be a good partner for the promotion and protection of this process”, and spoke of the need to take into account the great challenges of the world, which he said require a lot of work and overcoming of multilateral mechanisms, namely armed conflicts, refugee flows, economic crises and growing intolerance.
The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Esmeralda Mendonça, also took part, who underlined the partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner and partners such as Portugal and Switzerland, in addition to Norway.
According to Esmeralda Mendonça, technical assistance and training of Angolan staff will contribute to the country’s more active participation in the work of the Human Rights Council.
Organized by the relevant Angolan ministerial department, in partnership with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the training-of-trainers seminar brings together members of the Inter-sectoral Commission for the Preparation of National Reports on Human Rights (CIERNDH), the national reporting mechanism, follow-up of complaints and recommendations from Angola.
The event, which runs until the 21st, addresses topics related to “Overview of national mechanisms for reporting and monitoring the implementation of recommendations”, “General introduction to the UN human rights system”, with emphasis on the system of organs of the treaties and obligations of Angola, and “The substantive content of the international pact on economic, social and cultural rights”.
Its realization is also part of the celebrations of the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the UN in 1948.
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