HRC: 19th Session of the Universal Periodic Review Working Group, Geneva, 28 April to 9 May 2014
Statement by the UK Mission Geneva on the Universal Periodic Review of Portugal, 30 April 2014.
The Universal Periodic Review takes place at the Palais des Nations, Geneva
Thank you Mr President,
The United Kingdom commends Portugal for its support for international human rights mechanisms. We welcome the establishment of the Portuguese National Human Rights Committee (PNHRC) and the Government of Portugal’s commitment to ratifying human rights treaties, including the ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPCAT).
The UK is pleased to note the approval of the 4th and 5th National Plans against Domestic/Gender-Based Violence. We would welcome more detail on the effectiveness of measures taken to reduce social acceptance of domestic and gender-based violence and on how the Government of Portugal intends to continue this work.
We have two recommendations:
- To ensure that civil society representatives are accorded full and active participation in follow up activities to the UPR; and
- To fully align its national legislation with the Rome Statute, through the incorporation of provisions to fully and promptly cooperate with the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Thank you.