Committee on the Elimination of Discriminationagainst Women

Concluding observations on the sixth periodic report of Angola adopted by the Committee at its fifty fourth session (11 February – 1 March 2013)

1.The Committee considered the sixth periodic report of Angola (CEDAW/C/AGO/6) at its 1113th and 1114th meetings on 20 February 2013 (see CEDAW/C/SR.1113 and 1114). The Committee’s list of issues and questions is contained in CEDAW/C/AGO/Q/6, and the responses of the Government of Angola are contained in CEDAW/C/AGO/Q/6/Add.1.

A.Introduction

2.The Committee appreciates that the State party submitted its sixth periodic report which, in general, followed the Committee’s guidelines for the preparation of reports, although it lacked references to the Committee’s general recommendations and certain sex-disaggregated data. The Committee expresses its appreciation to the State party for the written replies to the list of issues and questions raised by the pre-session working group, its oral presentation, and the further clarifications provided in response to the questions posed orally by the Committee.

3.The Committee commends the State party for its high-level delegation, which was headed by Ms. Ana Paula da Silva Sacramento Neto, Secretary of State for Family and Promotion of Women. The delegation included representatives from various ministries and from the Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Geneva. The Committee appreciates the constructive dialogue that took place between the delegation and the members of the Committee.

B.Positive aspects

4.The Committee welcomes the enactment of the Law on the Participation of Women in Political life, in 2005 and the Law against Domestic Violence, in 2011.

5.The Committee also notes with satisfaction that the State party ratified:

(a)The Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, in 2007;

(b)The Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict, in 2007;

(c)The Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, in 2005.

C.Principal areas of concern and recommendations

Parliament

6. While reaffirming that the Government has the primary responsibility and is particularly accountable for the full implementation of the obligations of the State party under the Convention, the Committee stresses that the Convention is binding on all branches of the State apparatus and invites the State party to encourage the Parliament, in line with its procedures, where appropriate, to take the necessary steps with regard to the implementation of the present concluding observations between now and the State party’s next report under the Convention.

Visibility of the Convention

7.While noting that, according to the State party’s Constitution, international conventions on human rights are directly applicable by the tribunals, the Committee is concerned that, in legal practice, the application of the Convention has been limited and the Convention has not been given sufficient visibility as the legal basis for measures, including legislation and policy measures, for the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women and the promotion of gender equality in the State party.

8. The Committee recommends that the State party take all appropriate measures to ensure that the Convention and the Committe e’s general recommendations are sufficiently known and applied by all branches of Government, the Parliament and the judiciary as a framework for all laws, court decisions and policies on gender equality and the advancement of women.

Access to justice

9.While noting the State party’s current process to carry out judicial reform, the Committee is concerned about the lack of effective access to justice for women which is due to multiple factors.

10. The Committee recommends that the State party:

(a) Enhance women’s awareness of the i r rights and the means to enforce them and ensure that information on the Convention is provided to all women and men ;

(b) Finalize, without delay, the judicial reform to put an end to impunity and ensure that women have effective access to justice and facilitate such access by, for example, removing all impediments women may face in gaining access to justice and raising awareness of women and men in order to eliminate the stigmatization faced by women who claim their rights;

(c) Take all appropriate measures to ensure that the Convention and the Committee’s general recommendations are made an integral part of the training for judges, lawyers, prosecutors, police and other law enforcement officers.

Legislative framework

11.While noting the ongoing legislative reform, the Committee is concerned about delays in finalizing it. The Committee reiterates its concern about the lack of full domestication of the Convention as part of the State party’s law and about the existence of remaining discriminatory provisions.

12. The Committee recommends that the State party a ccelerate the process of legal reform , within a clear and precise time frame, with a view to bring ing domestic provisions in line with the Convention and ensuring that all discriminatory provisions are reviewed and repealed, in order to achieve de jure equality and thereby facilitate de facto equality of women with men, in compliance with the State party’s obligations under the Convention.

National machinery for the advancement of women

13.The Committee is concerned about the low percentage of the national budget allocated to the machinery for the advancement of women and the delay in adopting the National Gender Policy and the Land Reform Programme. The Committee notes that the empo