CEDAW/C/AGO/CO/7

Angola (CEDAW 14-03-2019)

The Committee considered the seventh periodic report of Angola (CEDAW/C/AGO/7) at its 1673rd and 1674th meetings (see CEDAW/C/SR.1673 and CEDAW/C/SR.1674), held on 27 February 2019. The Committee’s list of issues and questions is contained in CEDAW/C/AGO/Q/7, and the responses of the State party are contained in CEDAW/C/AGO/Q/7/Add.1.

Concluding observations

E. Principal areas of concern and recommendations

Women facing multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination

43. The Committee welcomes the criminalization of acts of discrimination based on sexual orientation, including in employment, through the adoption of the new Penal Code. It takes note of the information provided by the State party during the interactive dialogue that General Labour Act No. 7/15 promotes the inclusion of persons with disabilities. It is concerned, however, that:

(a) Rural women and girls and women and girls with disabilities, with albinism, living with HIV/AIDS and in prostitution, lesbian, bisexual and transgender women and intersex persons face multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination, restricting in particular their access to health services, employment, education, housing and justice and their participation in public and political life;

(b) There are no policies addressing multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination, such as policies promoting the rights of women and girls with disabilities.

44. The Committee recommends that the State party, in line with general recommendation No. 18 (1991) on disabled women:

(a) Undertake awareness-raising activities to change negative attitudes towards women and girls with disabilities, with albinism, living with HIV/AIDS and in prostitution, lesbian, bisexual and transgender women and intersex persons, ensuring that strict penalties are imposed on the perpetrators of violations against them;

(b) Develop, and allocate adequate human, technical and financial resources for the adoption and implementation of a strategy that promotes access for women and girls with disabilities to inclusive and appropriate health services, employment, education, housing and justice and the participation of those women and girls in public and political life, including by granting them legal capacity.