• Home
• About us
• WTO
• United Nations
• Disarmament
• Services for Australians
• Statements
• Visas and migration
• Travelling to Australia
• Doing business with Australia
• Study in Australia
• Media
• About Australia
• Events

Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review Working Group

Statement on Angola

by Ms Robyn Hodgkin

12 February, 2010

Mr President,

Australia welcomes the delegation from Angola and appreciates its engagement in the Universal Periodic Review Process.

Recent parliamentary elections, strengthening of decentralisation and growing public investment in social services demonstrates the Angolan Government’s capacity to achieve positive change for its population.

We welcome the maintenance of peace in Angola, significantly improving the enjoyment of the right to life, liberty and security since the end of the conflict in 2002. We were, however, saddened by the recent attack on the Togolese football team in the Cabinda enclave and remain concerned by ongoing reports of arbitrary arrest and detention, and intimidation and harassment of human rights defenders there.

We encourage the Angolan Government to address the child rights issues highlighted by the United Nations, including child trafficking and labour, accusations of child witchcraft, child marriages, and discrimination against San children and children with disabilities.

We also share concerns raised by the United Nations on slum clearances, forced evictions and insufficient protection of, and assistance to, internally displaced persons.

We note the significant progress made by Angolan women in acquiring positions of public office but register continuing concern about the issues of maternal mortality, HIV/AIDS infection rates, gender-based violence and unequal access to employment.

We prevail upon the Government to address concerns about its peoples’ limited access to justice and to properly resource and support an independent and corruption free judiciary. Pre-trial detention is currently lengthy and there is a lack of humanitarian access to prisoners.

Australia recommends Angola:

1. Strengthen efforts to fulfil its obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child;

2. Strengthen its efforts to fulfil its obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW);

3. Immediately cease, in accordance with the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement (1998), of all forms of forced displacement; and

4. Address shortcomings in judicial processes, in particular the length of pre-trial detention, humanitarian access to prisoners, financing, independence from the executive and corruption.