Africa-Press – Cape verde. The United Nations (UN) today asked Cape Verde to improve access to justice and speed up judicial procedures so as not to harm human rights, a challenge recognized by the Government.The challenge was highlighted by the resident coordinator of the United Nations system in Cape Verde, Patrícia Portela de Souza, when speaking, in the city of Praia, at the opening of a forum on the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and took place at a time when that the slowness of Justice has been under debate in the country, after a hotel group sued the State for delay in deciding a case.
In her intervention at the opening of the forum, the Cape Verdean Minister of Justice, Joana Rosa, acknowledged “some slowness” in the sector and that access needs to be for everyone, but highlighted “significant advances” in the country in terms of rights. humans.
The UN coordinator also highlighted other challenges facing the country, namely training legal defenders and justice professionals so that they can adequately respond to gender-based violence and sexual abuse of children and the inclusion of people with disabilities.
Eliminate from the law all provisions that allow minors to marry and live in a civil union before the age of 18, prevent and combat discrimination and violence against people from the LGBTQIA+ community, improve detention centers and prisons, and full equality of rights between women and men were other challenges highlighted by the representative.
Still, Patrícia Portela de Souza said that Cape Verde is an “example and a good practice” of promoting and implementing human rights, for the rest of the world, especially for the West African region”.
The official praised the archipelago at a time when the world is experiencing a “dark moment” in its history, with “contempt” for human rights in several regions with armed conflicts and the climate crisis.
The minister recognized all these points, but assured that the country is “aligned” with respect for human rights, and highlighted several ongoing actions in this and other sectors, such as the creation of better physical conditions in judicial infrastructures, reinforcement of material resources, human and financial and training of magistrates.
“Cape Verde is a country engaged, not only in the promotion, but above all in the realization of human rights”, he stressed, also pointing out other measures, such as alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, strengthening the laboratory capacity of the Judiciary Police (PJ), use of new technologies and review of the legal framework.
“These are policy measures aimed at guaranteeing and protecting and working towards increasing respect for human rights”, stated Joana Rosa, for whom the executive has given “special attention” to this area.
The forum is organized by the National Commission for Human Rights and Citizenship, in partnership with the Ombudsman and the Joint United Nations Office in the archipelago, to reflect on the journey, gains, challenges and perspectives of human rights in the country.
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