BACKGROUND
The human rights section of the consecutive UN Missions
in Angola has been active since 1995, working within
the peace processes launched with the support of the
United Nations. Following the resumption of fighting
in 1998, the Human Rights Division was largely confined
to working in Luanda and Benguela. After the signature
of the final peace agreement in In February 2002, the
Security Council mandated the Division to assist the
Government in protecting and promoting human rights
and in building institutions to consolidate peace and
enhance the rule of law (Ref. Security Council Resolution
1433 of 15 August, 2002). With the termination of the
mandate of the last UN mission in Angola in February
2003 OHCHR developed a project to support peace building
in the country.
Two Three years
since the end of armed conflict, the Government and
civil society have begun to come to terms with the country's
human rights commitments and the challenges that still
lie ahead. Much remains in terms of respect for Social
and economic rights are still not fully respected, and
access to justice is limited to the capital. For the
first time in the country’s history, national
human rights institution is now under establishment
in the form of the newly elected (April, 2005) Provedor
de Justica, The Human Rights Ombudsman. A process
is now underway to establish a national and provincial
system of human rights plans of action and institutions.
In the absence of a well‑functioning judiciary,
such a system may be crucial for ensuring accountability
as the country prepares for the second general elections,
scheduled for 2006. A process is also underway to establish
a national and provincial system of human rights plans
of action.
During extensive
consultations with the Office of the High Commissioner
of Human Rights (OHCHR), Government institutions, other
United Nations agencies, donors and civil society groups
agreed that OHCHR has an important role to play in the
country's transition process, and that it should remain
in the country at least until the general elections
are held. The Office therefore extended its presence
in the country to implement another two year project
(2005 - 2006) which will complement the country's efforts
to consolidate peace and democracy, to build respect
for human rights and the rule of law, and to promote
respect for the social and economic rights of all Angolans.
As OHCHR's mandate is limited to
human rights promotion, all work related to human rights
protection will depend on the office's partners in state
and government and in civil society. The Office will
also work to bring other UN agencies with a field presence
in Angola more systematically into human rights protection
activities. OHCHR's main strategy vis - a - vis the
Government will be to actively support the establishment
and development of the Ombudsman institution, both in
Luanda and in the provinces, a national human rights
institution with direct links to the provincial human
rights committees and to the human rights institutions
of civil society and The Office attempts to assist these
institutions in achieving the necessary technical and
financial resources to actively carry out protection
functions in the country.
STRATEGY
As OHCHR's mandate is limited to human rights promotion,
all work related to human rights protection will depend
on the office's partners in state and government and
in civil society. The Office will also work to bring
other UN agencies with a field presence in Angola more
systematically into human rights protection activities.
OHCHR's main strategy vis - a - vis the Government will
be to actively support the establishment and development
of the Ombudsman institution, both in Luanda and in
the provinces, a national human rights institution with
direct links to the provincial human rights committees
and to the human rights institutions of civil society
and The Office attempts to assist these institutions
in achieving the necessary technical and financial resources
to actively carry out protection functions in the country.
OBJECTIVES
The overall objective is to assist in the consolidation
of peace and democracy by strengthening national capacities
in human rights and the rule of law. Four immediate
objectives are:
-
Mainstreaming human rights throughout the society;
- Promoting the rule of law, access
to justice and reconciliation;
- Promoting civil and political rights,
in view of the 2006 general elections; and
- Promoting the realization of economic,
social and cultural rights, and implementation of
the rights based strategy to combat poverty.
|
