Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Initial report submitted by Angola under article 35 of the Convention, due in 2016 *

[Date received: 26 January 2017]

Source : National Institute of Statistics, results of general population and housing census of Angola 2014. Population density by municipality (2014 census).

I.Introduction

1.1Description of the country

1.The Republic of Angola is a country located on the west coast of Africa that is bordered by the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north and east, by Zambia also to the east, by Namibia to the south and by the Atlantic Ocean to the west. To the north, it also shares a border with the Republic of the Congo.

2.Angola was formerly a colony of Portugal. Colonization began in the fifteenth century and the country remained a Portuguese colony until its independence in 1975. The country is made up of an arid coastal plain stretching from Namibia to Luanda, a high and humid inland plateau, a dry inland savannah in the south and south-east, and tropical forest in the north. Angola is the fifth largest country in sub-Saharan Africa, with a total surface area of 1,246,700 km². Administratively it is divided into 18 provinces, 162 municipalities and 559 villages.

3.The territory of Angola consists of a high plateau, the altitude of which varies between 1,000 and 1,500 metres, delimited by a narrow strip of lowlands in the coastal region. Its highest point is Mount Môco in the province of Huambo, at 2,620 metres. The climate varies from arid in the desert to rainy and tropical in the savannah and temperate at altitude.

4.The Angolan population is fairly diverse. About 95 per cent of citizens are of African Bantu heritage, belonging to a variety of ethnic groups, including the Ovimbundu, the largest group, which represents more than a third of the population; the Mbundu, representing about a quarter; and the Bakongo, representing over 10 per cent. There are smaller populations of Lunda-Chockwe, Ovambo, Nyaneka-Humbe, Nganguela and Xindonga. There are still a few small minority groups, such as the Khoisan, sometimes known as Bushmen or Hottentots, who were the original inhabitants of the current territory of Angola before the arrival of the Bantu peoples.

5.The ethnic groups remain essentially unchanged and citizens from different groups communicate using the official language, Portuguese, which is a vestige of colonization and is the key determinant of national unity, despite the fact that the people of Angola come from various ethnolinguistic groups and there are a number of differences in their cultural traditions.

6.During the second half of the twentieth century, there was a considerable population shift from rural areas to the cities, mainly as a consequence of the civil war that erupted after independence and prompted a marked exodus from rural areas. It is estimated that just over half of the total population of Angola migrated to urban areas, where they remain today.

1.2Demographic situation

7.According to the findings of the general population and housing census of Angola conducted from 16 to 31 May 2014, which was the first since independence, there were 25,789,024 people residing in Angola at the time of the census: 12.4 million men (48 per cent of the total population) and 13.2 million women (52 per cent of the total population).

8.Angola is a country with a higher number of women than men. The sex (male-to-female) ratio is 94. This means that there are 94 men for every 100 women. This trend is common to all provinces except Lunda Norte. In this province, the sex ratio is 106, meaning that there are 106 men for every 100 women.

9.The province of Luanda has the greatest number of inhabitants, with 6.9 million residents. The province of Bengo, with a population of 356,641, is the least populated province.

1.3Population by age, sex and geographic region

10.According to the end results of the 2014 census, the population distribution by age, sex and geographic region is as follows:

Table 1Resident population by province, sex and male-to-female ratio, 2014

Province	Total	Men	Women	Male-to-female ratio
Number	Percentage	Number	Percentage	Number	Percentage
Angola	25 789 024	100	12 499 041	100	13 289 983	100	94.0
Area of residence
Urban	16 153 987	62.6	7 860 614	62.9	8 293 373	62.4	94.8
Rural	9 635 037	37.4	4 638 427	37.1	4 993 555	37.6	92.8
Province
Cabinda	716 076	2.8	355 765	2.8	360 310	2.7	98.7
Zaire	594 428	2.3	297 728	2.4	296 700	2.2	100.3
Uige	1 483 118	5.8	728 693	5.8	754 425	5.7	96.6
Luanda	6 945 386	26.9	3 401 996	27.2	3 543 390	26.7	96.0
Cuanza Norte	443 386	1.7	217 060	1.7	226 326	1.7	95.9
Cuanza Sul	1 881 873	7.3	905 809	7.2	976 064	7.3	92.8
Malanje	986 363	3.8	479 788	3.8	506 575	3.8	94.7
Lunda Norte	862 566	3.3	444 053	3.6	418 513	3.1	106.1
Benguela	2 231 385	8.7	1 055 819	8.4	1 175 566	8.8	89.8
Huambo	2 019 555	7.8	958 140	7.7	1 061 414	8.0	90.3
Bie	1 455 255	5.6	691 623	5.5	763 632	5.7	90.6
Moxico	758 568	2.9	369 437	3.0	389 131	2.9	94.9
Cuando Cubango	534 002	2.1	260 585	2.1	273 417	2.1	95.3
Namibe	495 326	1.9	240 144	1.9	255 182	1.9	94.1
Huila	2 497 422	9.7	1 186 589	9.5	1 310 833	9.9	90.5
Cunene	990 087	3.8	462 056	3.7	528 031	4.0	87.5
Lunda Sul	537 587	2.1	265 806	2.1	271 782	2.0	97.8
Bengo	356 641	1.4	177 949	1.4	178 692	1.3	99.6

Source : National Institute of Statistics, findings of the 2014 general population and housing census of Angola.

11.The province of Luanda is the most populous, with 27 per cent of the country’s total population, while the province of Bengo has the lowest number of residents, with 1 per cent.

1.4Situation of persons with disabilities in Angola

12.Data from the 2014 general census indicate that there are 656,258 persons with disabilities residing in Angola. A breakdown by type of disability is shown below.

Table 2Resident population of persons with disabilities by province and area of residence, type of disability and sex

Angola and area of residence	Population with some form of disability	Mental disability	Type of disability
Blind	Deaf	Mute	Paralysis	Upper limb amputee	Lower limb amputee	Other
Total	Total	Total	Total	Total	Total	Total	Total	Total
Angola	656 258	89 186	58 921	35 664	30 436	85 465	52 808	73 939	229 838
Urban	365 547	52 978	30 134	16 117	16 669	52 317	29 696	42 311	125 325
Rural	290 710	36 207	28 787	19 548	13 767	33 148	23 113	31 628	104 513

Table 3Resident population with disability by age group and sex

Country and age groups	Total	Men	Women
No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
Angola	656 258	100.0	365 858	100.0	290 400	100.0
0– 4 years	50 786	7.7	26 449	7.2	24 338	8.4
5– 14 years	113 325	17.3	59 789	16.3	53 536	18.4
15– 24 years	108 778	16.6	57 551	15.7	51 227	17.6
25– 64 years	326 390	49.7	192 665	52.7	133 724	46.0
65 years and over	56 980	8.7	29 404	8.0	27 575	9.5

13.In 2014, the prevalence of disability among the Angolan population was 2.5 per cent, corresponding to 656,258 persons with disabilities, of whom 365,858 (56 per cent) were male and 290,400 (44 per cent) were female.

14.The presence of such a large number of citizens with disabilities is a result of:

(a)The effects of more than four decades of armed conflict;

(b)Deficiencies in the health system;

(c)Limited access to prevention programmes;

(d)The long-term effects of certain diseases and congenital conditions;

(e)The low educational level of families;

(f)Hidden attitudes towards disability; and

(g)The road accident rate, which has increased dramatically in recent years.

15.The main problems identified as affecting persons with disabilities in vulnerable situations are essentially related to, in order of priority, health, education, access to information, drinking water and decent housing, and family, economic and social conditions.

16.Actions taken to support people with disabilities are diverse in nature and include:

(a)Preventive actions, the aim being to prevent the onset or worsening of a disability and to eliminate or mitigate its consequences;

(b)Direct or indirect support for actions necessary for prevention, including information and awareness-raising activities addressing accessibility, road traffic accidents, and those resulting from work, domestic and leisure activities, the consumption of substances harmful to health, in particular alcohol, drugs and tobacco, eating habits; antenatal and postnatal care, and hygiene, health and safety at work;

(c)Empowerment and rehabilitation through training, employment and work, consumption, social security, health, housing and town planning, transport, education, culture and science, the tax system, sport and leisure;

(d)Participation as a means to guarantee the development of persons with disabilities in all areas of their personal life and in society in general.

1.5The commitment of the Angolan State

17.The Angolan State approved the country’s accession to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities of 11 December 2006 and the Optional Protocol thereto through National Assembly Resolution No. 1/13 of 11 January and deposited its instruments of ratification on 19 May 2014, thereby clearly reaffirming its commitment to protecting the human rights of this population group.

18.This initial report was prepared by the National Intersectoral Committee for the Preparation of National Human Rights Reports established by Council of Ministers Resolution No. 121/09 of 26 December. At the decision-making level, the Committee is composed of heads of ministries, public bodies and other State institutions. At the implementation level, it is composed of experts from these institutions. Presidential Order No. 29/14 of 26 March provided for the Committee’s composition to be adjusted in line with changes in its work, with a view to fulfilling the obligations arising out of article 35 of the Convention.

19.The report covers the period 2014–2016. Civil society was involved in its preparation, both directly through specific contributions and indirectly through discussions in seminars at the provincial level and national-level workshops and round tables.

1.6Public policy

20.The Convention is implemented by means of public policies that take account of national and international commitments and are designed to create the conditions necessary for the effective realization of the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of persons with disabilities, as enshrined in Angolan law and in international legal instruments on human rights.

21.Public policies providing multidisciplinary and cross-cutting responses were adopted within the framework of the 2013–2017 National Development Plan, which provides the blueprint for the country’s governance. The core goals of the Plan are social justice and human development and its guiding principles are rooted in the current world context. Its implementation is underpinned by robust foundations in the form of an economic growth strategy in which public- and private-sector investment in State infrastructure projects provides a platform for national economic development, which is the factor key for the realization of human rights in general, and in particular the rights of persons with disabilities – a sector of the Angolan population that requires special attention.

22.The Angolan executive branch has issued the following instruments, policies and programmes for the implementation of public policies designed to guarantee the rights of persons with disabilities:

(a)Presidential Decree No. 12/16 of 15 January, establishing the regulations governing employment quotas for persons with disabilities and procedures for their recruitment;

(b)Presidential Decree No. 207/14 of 15 August, establishing the Strategy for Action to promote the Social Inclusion of Children with Disabilities;

(c)Act No. 21/12 of 30 July on Persons with Disabilities;

(d)Presidential Decree No. 105/12 of 1 June, establishing the National Council for Persons with Disabilities and its regulations;

(e)Strategy for the Protection of Persons with Disabilities (Presidential Decree No. 2358/11 of 30 August);

(f)Policy for Persons with Disabilities (Presidential Decree No. 237/11 of 30 August);

(g)Scholarship scheme for academically successful students with disabilities (Decree No. 2/08 of 28 February);

(h)Act No. 7/0 of 15 October on Basic Social Protection;

(i)Act No. 13/02 of 15 October on the Protection of Veterans and the War-Wounded;

(j)Act No. 6/98 of 7 August on Benefits for Persons with Disabilities;

(k)Decree No. 6-E/91 of 9 March, establishing the National Rehabilitation Institute;

(l)Decree No 86/81 of 16 October on the Table of Medical Indicators of Disability;

(m)Decree No. 56/79 of 19 October on Special Education.

23.The implementation of the 2013–2017 National Development Plan and the strategic options provided for in provincial infrastructure projects, which have been carried out with due attention to macroeconomic management, thereby guaranteeing compliance with the indicators established in the General State Budget, has led to a stable economic and social situation in the country.

24.The 2013–2017 National Development Plan also incorporates the key reforms and policy measures adopted at the sectoral level between 2009 and 2011, the most significant of which are: (a) the Municipal Programme for Rural Development and Poverty Reduction; (b) the National Health Policy; (c) the Programme for the Modernization and Reform of the Administration of Justice; (d) the National Planning System and the National Statistical System; (e) the Plan to Support Rural Trade; and (f) the National Health Development Plan 2012–2021.

25.These policy measures reflect the efforts made to implement the various actions envisaged under specific policies benefiting persons with a disability of some form, whether physical, sensory, intellectual, mental or psychosocial, namely:

(a)The National Plan for Integrated Action on Disability, designed to encourage the implementation of the actions established in the Policy for Persons with Disabilities (Presidential Decree No. 237/11 of 30 August) and the Strategy for the Protection of Persons with Disabilities, in accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of Angola;

(b)The Assistance Programme for Persons with Disabilities, which provides the cornerstone for action to promote social inclusion and includes a strategy for the acquisition and distribution of technical aids and raw materials for the manufacture of prostheses for the physical rehabilitation centres in Luena (Moxico), Menongue (Cuando Cubango), Negage (Uige) and Viana (Luanda), as well as the actions developed as part of the Work and Income Generation Programme.

II.Implementation of the general provisions of the Convention (Articles 1–4)

2.1Article 1Purpose

26.The Constitution of the Republic of Angola refers to the rights of persons with disabilities in articles 21 (d), 24, 25, 77 (1), and in all sections of article 83, on citizens with disabilities.

27.The State’s intention, in adopting the Convention that is the subject of this report, was to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, as well as respect for their dignity, as established in article 1 of the Convention. This intention is fully consistent with the principles of equality and the universality of fundamental rights and duties enshrined in articles 22 and 23 of the Angolan Constitution.

28.The Convention is also in line with article 83 of the Angolan Constitution, which establishes specific protection for the rights of persons with disabilities within the constitutional framework.

2.2Article 2Definitions

29.In all legislation of specific relevance to persons with disabilities, particularly Act No. 21/12 of 30 July on Persons with Disabilities, Angolan law is designed to conform to the definition set out in the Convention.

30.In general, the definitions adopted to implement the diverse range of intersectoral policies, programmes and actions established on the basis of Act No. 21/12 of 30 July on Persons with Disabilities are similar to those set in the Convention and can be interpreted and applied in the same way:

(a)Persons with disabilities are defined in article 20 of the Act on Persons with Disabilities as follows:

(i)Persons with disabilities are all those who, by reason of loss or abnormality, whether congenital or acquired, of psychological, intellectual, physiological, anatomical functions or bodily structures, have specific difficulties that, in conjunction with environmental factors, are likely to restrict or hinder their activities and prevent them from participating on an equal basis with others, including:

•Persons with motor disabilities: all persons who, by reason of changes in their bodily structure and functions, whether congenital or acquired, have a permanent functional impairment, of a degree equal to or greater than 60 per cent, and whose mobility in public life is considerably restricted without the aid of another person or recourse to assistive devices such as prostheses, wheelchairs and crutches, in the case of motor disabilities affecting the lower limbs, or who have considerable difficulties in accessing or using national public transport, in the case of motor disabilities affecting the upper limbs;

•Persons with multiple, serious disabilities: all persons with a motor disability who, in addition to the conditions referred to in the previous point, have one or more disabilities, resulting in a degree of disability equal to or greater than 90 per cent, that severely restrict their mobility in public life without the aid of another person or recourse to assistive technologies, or their ability to access and use conventional public transport, and who are known to be unable to drive a car;

•Persons with disabilities who use wheelchairs: persons with a permanent motor or other disability of a degree equal to or greater than 60 per cent who can only move around using a wheelchair;

•Persons with visual impairments: persons who have a permanent impairment affecting 95 per cent of their vision.

(b)The fundamental principles set out in article 4 of the Act on Persons with Disabilities are in line with the provisions of article 3 of the Convention, and include the principles of individuality, citizenship, non-discrimination, autonomy, information, participation, inclusion, quality, the primacy of public responsibility, mainstreaming, cooperation and solidarity.

2.3Article 3General principles

31.The State of Angola acceded to the Convention on 11 January 2013. The date of adoption of the majority of the various laws in force in Angola that form part of the body of law related to the rights of persons with disabilities, including the Angolan Constitution, predates National Assembly Resolution Nos. 1/13 and 2/13, approving accession to the Convention.

32.The work of the Committee on Law and Justice Reform is driven by the search for better ways of guaranteeing the effective observance of the rights of this vulnerable group. This search involves identifying precepts that may need to be aligned with the Convention or other new provisions, the aim being to achieve rigorous compliance with the general principles set out in article 3 of the Convention by incorporating into national legislation guarantees of:

(a)Respect for inherent dignity, individual autonomy, including the freedom to make one’s own choices, and independence of persons;

(b)Non-discrimination;

(c)Full and effective participation and inclusion in society;

(d)Respect for difference and acceptance of persons with disabilities as part of human diversity and humanity;

(e)Equality of opportunity;

(f)Accessibility;

(g)Equality between men and women;

(h)Respect for the evolving capacities of children with disabilities and respect for the right of children with disabilities to preserve their identities.

33.The Convention’s adoption by the United Nations on 11 December 2006 seems to have had a bearing on the degree of consistency between the provisions of the Constitution and those of the Convention. This consistency is evident in the provisions of article 83 of the Angolan Constitution in particular, which establish that:

(a)Citizens with disabilities shall be guaranteed full enjoyment of the rights and shall be subject to the duties enshrined in the Constitution, without prejudice to any restrictions on the exercise or enjoyment of those rights that they are unable, or only partially able, to exercise or enjoy;

(b)The State shall adopt a national policy for the prevention of disability, the care, rehabilitation and integration of citizens with disabilities, the provision of support for their families and the removal of obstacles to their mobility;

(c)The State shall also adopt policies conducive to the development of strategies that increase public awareness of society’s duties of inclusion, respect and solidarity towards citizens with disabilities;

(d)The State shall foster and support special education and technical and vocational training for citizens with disabilities.

34.On the basis of constitutional and legal principles, all legislative, administrative and other measures for implementation of the rights recognized in the Convention are designed to ensure and promote the full realization of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all persons with disabilities, without discrimination of any kind on the basis of their disability, including by modifying or abolishing existing laws, regulations, customs and practices that are contrary to the general obligations established in article 4.

2.4Article 4General obligations

35.As a State party to the Convention, Angola has undertaken, pursuant to article 4, to ensure and promote the full realization of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all persons with disabilities, eliminating the root causes of discrimination and committing to seek out solutions that facilitate the adoption of legislative, administrative and other appropriate measures for the implementation of the rights recognized under the Convention and protected generically in the Constitution and specifically in individual laws.

36.A diverse and complex range of measures, some of which are included in the 2013–2017 National Development Plan, has been adopted to address the core issues, notably, protecting and promoting the human rights of persons with disabilities in general and, in particular, preventing and eradicating acts or practices inconsistent with the Convention and the law; and guaranteeing:

(a)That public authorities and institutions act to ensure that all provisions are observed;

(b)The promotion of research activities to achieve the requisite understanding of the situation in the country;

(c)The development of goods, services, equipment and facilities requiring the minimum possible adaptation to meet the specific needs of persons with a disability of any form;

(d)The availability of information, accessible to persons with disabilities, about mobility aids, devices and assistive technologies, including new information and communication technologies, and other necessary support;

(e)The training of professionals and specialists working with persons with disabilities in human rights, so as to provide better assistance to the beneficiary groups.

37.With regard to economic, social and cultural rights, the aim is to maximize available resources. As resources are scarce, the State has sought cooperation assistance from international agencies in order to build its capacities and allow it to achieve a degree of progress.

38.That fact that no information about cases brought under the legal framework for disability or considered relevant for inclusion or specific analysis in the report has been recorded in the database of the National Intersectoral Committee for the Preparation of National Human Rights Reports does not detract from the need to continue working to improve mechanisms for overseeing and monitoring existing public and private sector programmes, ensuring that they are regularly assessed in order to measure their impact and results, so that, when this information is considered in conjunction with information on actual cases, the extent of any problems in the country can be understood.

39.With regard to the prevention and punishment of acts and practices that contribute to discrimination, article 46 of the Act on Persons with Disabilities prevents and prohibits direct and indirect discrimination on grounds of disability of any form and against persons subject to heightened health risks, as well as acts that constitute a violation of a fundamental right or prevent or restrict the exercise of any economic, social, cultural or other right by another person on the grounds of disability of any form, as established in the law. To this end, article 214 of the draft Angolan Criminal Code, relating to discrimination, provides that:

(a)Any person who, on grounds of sex, race, ethnicity, colour, place of birth, belief or religion, sexual orientation, political or ideological beliefs, or social status or origin:

(i)refuses to contract or employ another person, refuses or places conditions upon the supply of goods or services or prevents or places conditions upon the exercise of an economic activity by another person;

(ii)or punishes or dismisses a worker, shall incur a prison sentence of up to 2 years or a fine of up to 240 times the agreed per day rate.

(b)The same penalty is applied to any person who refuses or places conditions upon the supply of goods or services to a legal entity or prevents or places conditions upon its economic activities on grounds of the sex, race, ethnicity, colour, place of birth, belief or religion, sexual orientation, political or ideological beliefs, or social status or origin of its members or the members of its corporate bodies.

Legal and other measures available to victims of violations of rights protected by the Convention who wish to seek compensation

40.The State has a duty to coordinate, define, promote and implement policies addressing the needs of persons with disabilities in general under both the Constitution and specific legislation, particularly Act No. 21/12 of 30 July and Presidential Decree No. 174/14 of 24 June, which mandates the Angolan Government, through the Ministry of Social Assistance and Reintegration, to coordinate, develop and manage the country’s policy for persons with disabilities. In this context, the following measures have been adopted:

(a)Decree No. 56/79 of 19 October on Special Education;

(b)Decree No. 86/81 of 16 October, approving the Table of Medical Indicators of Disability;

(c)Decree No. 21/82 of 22 April, approving measures for the protection of persons with disabilities, including the reservation of 2 per cent of salaried posts;

(d)Decree No. 6-E/91 of 9 March, establishing the National Rehabilitation Institute;

(e)Act No. 6/98 of 7 August on benefits for persons with disabilities;

(f)Act No. 7/04 of 15 October on basic social protection;

(g)Decree-Law No. 2/08 of 28 February on equality of treatment and opportunities for young persons with disabilities seeking their first job and the award of scholarships to students with disabilities, among other regulations;

(h)Act No. 137/02 of 15 October on the protection of combat veterans and persons with war-related disabilities;

(i)Presidential Decree No. 237/11 of 30 August, approving policy for persons with disabilities;

(j)Presidential Decree No. 238/11 of 30 August, approving strategy for the protection of persons with disabilities;

(k)Act No. 21/12 of 30 July on Persons with Disabilities, establishing the legal framework for the prevention of disability and the habilitation, rehabilitation and social participation of persons with disabilities that is applicable to all individuals and legal entities, whether public or private;

(l)Presidential Decree No. 1057/12 of 1 June, establishing the National Council for Persons with Disabilities and approving its regulations;

(m)Act No. 5/14 of 20 May, establishing the general legal framework for the National Sports System, promoting and setting guidelines for the organization of sporting activities with a view to increasing their accessibility and reach as a cultural activity essential to the comprehensive development of individuals and society in general;

(n)Presidential Decree No. 207/14 of 15 August on intervention strategy for the social inclusion of children with disabilities; and

(o)The establishment of nine orthopaedic rehabilitation centres managed by the Ministry of Health, located in the provinces of Benguela (1), Bié (1), Huambo (1), Huila (1), Kuando Kubango (1), Luanda (3) and Moxico (1), as well as hospitals, vocational training centres and employment centres.

41.A range of facilities and basic services guaranteeing access to compensation and care have been established for the victims of rights violations, including:

(a)Coordination and cooperation mechanisms, under the aegis of the Ministry of Social Assistance and Reintegration, which is responsible, inter alia, for defining assistance policies and programmes for persons with disabilities that guarantee and support their social inclusion, and other ministries that, at the same level, design and implement public policies for persons with disabilities according to their remit;

(b)Advisory bodies, notably the National Council for Persons with Disabilities, composed of representatives of the following ministries: Social Assistance and Reintegration; Health; Education; Justice and Human Rights; Public Administration, Employment and Social Security; Former Soldiers and Veterans; Social Communication; Territorial Administration; Finance; Culture; Youth and Sport; Energy and Water; Town Planning and Housing; and Defence, as well as civil society institutions including: the Angolan Paralysis Committee; Fundação Lwini (Lwini Foundation); the Associação Nacional dos Deficientes de Angola (Angolan National Association of Persons with Disabilities, or ANDA); the Liga de Apoio à Integração dos Deficientes (League to Support the Integration of Persons with Disabilities, or LARDEF); the Associação Angolana de Deficientes Ex-Militares (Angolan Association of Military Veterans with Disabilities, or AMMIGA); the Federação Angolana de Associação de Pessoas com Deficiência (Angolan Associative Federation of Persons with Disabilities, or FAPED); El-Shadai; the Associação dos Comerciantes e Ambulantes Portadores de Deficiência em Angola (Angolan Association of Traders and Street Vendors with Disabilities, or ACAPODA); and the Associação Nacional dos Cegos de Angola (National Association of Blind Persons of Angola, or ANCA); and religious organizations including: the Conselho de Igrejas Cristãs em Angola (Council of Christian Churches in Angola, or CICA); the Conferencia Episcopal de Angola e S. Tomé (Episcopal Conference of Angola and Sao Tome, or CEAST); and the Igreja Evangélica de Angola (Evangelical Church of Angola, or IEA);

(c)Committees, including the Tenth Committee of the General Assembly on the Human Rights, Petitions, Complaints and Suggestions of Citizens, established under the Organic Act on the Functioning of the Legislative Process of the National Assembly (Act No. 5/10) of 6 April 2010;

(d)The Intersectoral Committee for the Preparation of National Human Rights Reports, established under Council of Ministers Resolution No. 121/09 of 26 December and whose composition was modified by Presidential Decree No. 29/14 of 24 March, which is mandated to prepare reports and support the implementation of the associated recommendations at the national level;

(e)Participatory forums, primarily for national associations and religious organizations that work for the benefit of persons with disabilities and are members of the National Council for Persons with Disabilities.

III.Specific rights

Article 5 Equality and non-discrimination

42.Equality and non-discrimination are addressed under articles 21 (h) and (i) and 23 of the Constitution, which stipulates that the fundamental duties of the Angolan State shall be:

(a)Art. 21 (h): To promote equal rights and opportunities between Angolans, without prejudice to origin, race, party affiliation, sex, colour, age or any other form of discrimination;

(b)Art. 21 (i): To make strategic, large-scale, permanent investments in human capital, with particular emphasis on the comprehensive development of children and young people, as well as in education, health care, the primary and secondary economy and other sectors that structure self-sustainable development;

(c)Art. 23: Everyone shall be equal under the Constitution and by law. No one may be discriminated against, favoured, deprived of any right or exempted from any duty on the basis of ancestry, sex, race, ethnicity, colour, disability, language, place of birth, religion, political, ideological or philosophical beliefs, level of education or economic, social or professional status.

43.In addition to this constitutional guarantee, several laws promote the right to equality and non-discrimination. To prevent discrimination, there are a number of laws specifically promoting this right, details of which are given subsequently in this report.

44.The universal principle of non-discrimination underpins various aspects of the policies, strategies, plans, projects and actions implemented in the field of disability within the framework of the 2013–2017 National Development Plan. These policies, strategies, plans, projects and actions promote equality among all citizens, without prejudice to any legal or treaty-based precept specific to persons with disabilities.

45.These precepts, now given shape in the form of concrete actions of great importance for the country’s future, have their roots in the massive efforts to rebuild a country destroyed by decades of war that have enabled Angola to embark on a phase of modernization and sustainable development centred on stability and growth and recognition of the worth of all Angolan women and men.

46.This recognition is underpinned by the synergy inherent in all actions undertaken within the framework of a comprehensive, integrated and cross-cutting policy for the prevention of disability and the habilitation, rehabilitation and participation of persons with disabilities. These actions, which are verifiable and aligned with international human rights instruments, involve the promotion of:

(a)Equal opportunities, in the sense that persons with disabilities enjoy conditions that allow for their full participation in society;

(b)Lifelong education, training and employment opportunities;

(c)Access to support services;

(d)A society for everyone, eliminating barriers and adopting measures to ensure the full participation of persons with disabilities.

47.The Government is not aware of any judicial proceedings that have been instituted in Angola on the basis of a complaint of discrimination lodged by a person with a disability.

Articles 6 and 7Women with disabilities and children with disabilities

48.Mindful that women with disabilities and children with disabilities are extremely vulnerable groups that are subject to multiple forms of discrimination, the Government accords them special attention, taking measures to ensure their full and equal exercise of all human rights and fundamental freedoms, free from stereotypes and prejudices based on sex and age, in all areas of life.

49.Recognizing the situation described under article 6 of the Convention, the Government has developed and rolled out a women’s advancement programme built on the component of the National Development Plan that promotes women’s rights and their full participation in national and international affairs. The various objectives of the programme include enhancing the support available for women with disabilities with a view to ensuring their social integration, including by providing non-discriminatory cash allowances for persons who are permanently unable to work, are not covered by any other social assistance scheme and have no financial resources of their own, in accordance with Act No. 6/98 of 7 August 1998.

50.The principle of the best interests of the child is a primary consideration in measures taken in compliance with article 7 of the Convention to ensure that children with disabilities fully enjoy all human rights and fundamental freedoms on an equal basis with other children. Children enjoy the right to equality enshrined in the Constitution and in law.

51.According to the 2014 census, there are 290,000 women with a disability in Angola.

Article 8Awareness-raising

52.The obligations arising from article 8 of the Convention, namely to raise awareness throughout society, beginning at the family level, about persons with disabilities, to foster respect for their rights and dignity, and to combat stereotypes and prejudices, are framed and addressed in the National Integrated Action Plan on Disability 2012–2017.

53.This Plan, which was adopted pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 102/12 of 1 June 2012, puts forward solutions for the implementation of sectoral policies, including public awareness-raising campaigns to encourage and promote the recognition of skills, merits and competences, the education system, an attitude of respect for rights, and training and guidance programmes for the media, all in respect of persons with disabilities.

54.Actions under the Plan are implemented with the support of several institutions, including the technical and executive bodies that support the executive secretariat of the National Council for Persons with Disabilities, known as specialized standing committees. The Intersectoral Committee for the Preparation of National Human Rights Reports has a cross-cutting role in the Plan’s implementation, as part of its mission to promote human rights among governmental institutions and civil society organizations at all levels, which includes public awareness-raising about the need to respect the human rights of all citizens without distinction of any kind. The Ministry for Social Action, the Family and the Advancement of Women, the Ministry of Assistance and Social Reintegration, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Public Administration, Employment and Social Security, the Ministry of Youth and Sport and the National Institute for Children, among others, also have executive responsibilities under the Plan.

55.The National Council for Persons with Disabilities and its members have organized a series of activities, including meetings, conferences, seminars and round tables, on issues ranging from the right to equality of opportunity to the dissemination of the Convention. The Council also leads broad-based and/or specialized public consultation processes on relevant bills.

56.In 2015, the Intersectoral Committee for the Preparation of National Human Rights Reports, the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights and the United Nations Development Programme held a seminar and a round-table discussion to disseminate the Convention and to train the various stakeholders involved in the preparation of reports under the Convention. Based on this exercise, booklets on the Convention and national legislation (1,000 copies) were published for distribution throughout the country. Universities, churches, organizations of persons with disabilities and organizations engaged in the promotion and protection of their rights have regularly carried out activities of this type, throughout the country.

Article 9Accessibility

57.Mindful of its responsibility and obligations under article 9 of the Convention, the Government has taken measures to ensure that persons with disabilities can access, on an equal basis with others, the physical environment, transportation, information and communications, including information and communications technologies and systems, and other facilities and services open or provided to the public, in both urban and rural areas. This has allowed for the identification and elimination of obstacles and barriers to the accessibility of buildings, roads, transportation and other indoor and outdoor facilities, including schools, housing, medical facilities and workplaces.

58.Notwithstanding the efforts made to upgrade and expand information, communications and other services and systems, including electronic services and emergency services, the Government has also adopted supervisory and regulatory measures to ensure that facilities and services open or provided to the public are accessible and that private entities take into account all aspects of accessibility for persons with disabilities.

59.In pursuing these objectives, the Government was able to identify existing architectural barriers, mainly in the country’s public buildings. In particular, most public buildings dating from the colonial era present enormous architectural barriers.

60.There remains a clear need to develop mechanisms that serve to reduce these barriers, identifying low-cost ways of utilizing the most advanced technologies, such as, for example, the installation, repair and maintenance of state-of-the-art lifts.

61.The Government has passed the Accessibility Act, which lays the foundations for construction of a comprehensive, coherent and organized accessibility system that provides persons with disabilities with equal conditions of access to others by eliminating architectural, communication, attitudinal, instrumental and methodological barriers, allowing access to all community services and systems and creating conditions conducive to the exercise of full citizenship.

62.In accordance with the doctrinal principles of the international conventions and other instruments incorporated into the Angolan legal system, changes have been made within the education system that have increased the visibility of persons with disabilities of all kinds and have allowed for their greater inclusion in the overall policy of the State. These efforts have resulted in a shift from a charity-based approach to observance of the human rights of persons with disabilities and respect for the principles that shape them.

63.The main aim of the action being taken in the area of transportation accessibility is to ensure that persons with disabilities have access to mass public transport and services by eliminating architectural and urban barriers. The following tasks are given priority:

(a)Adapting tourism facilities and accommodation to improve their accessibility for persons with disabilities and adapting schools and sports facilities to improve their accessibility and facilitate the mobility of students with disabilities;

(b)Eliminating architectural barriers as part of construction, expansion and renovation work to ensure that persons with disabilities have access to indoor and outdoor spaces;

(c)Ensuring the adequate accessibility of tourism facilities and accommodation for guests with disabilities and adapting parks, squares and public and private sports and recreation facilities to improve their accessibility for persons with disabilities;

(d)Adapting workplaces to improve their accessibility and facilitate the mobility of persons with disabilities, and adapting means of mass public transport to improve their accessibility for persons with disabilities.

Article 10 Right to life

64.Article 30 of the Constitution, which is fully aligned with article 10 of the Convention, stipulates that the State shall respect and protect human life, which is inviolable. The Constitution also bans the death penalty. These provisions are underpinned by a series of legislative and policy measures that were adopted to ensure the effective enjoyment of all rights by persons with disabilities on an equal basis with others.

65.Life is fully protected with no distinction or differential treatment for persons with disabilities.

Article 11Situations of risk and humanitarian emergencies

66.Responsibility for coordinating the country’s response to emergency situations such as droughts, floods and epidemics lies with the National Commission for Civil Protection, made up of various multisectoral bodies whose personnel are trained to provide support should the need arise, giving priority to persons belonging to vulnerable groups, including persons with disabilities.

67.Once the situation has been verified, the Commission provides relief through material and other forms of aid. Specialists are directed to give special attention to persons with disabilities.

68.Whenever violations of the right to life are identified, the bodies responsible for the administration of justice must act to safeguard and protect the right, hold the perpetrators accountable and establish the compensation to be awarded to the victims in accordance with the law.

Article 12 Equal recognition before the law

69.The Constitution contains a set of articles that guarantee equal recognition before the law for all citizens without distinction, including persons with disabilities. This right is founded upon the principle of non-discrimination.

70.The Convention and the Optional Protocol thereto have reinforced the existing legal instruments that guarantee protection on an equal basis for persons with disabilities and non-disabled persons, specifically Act No. 21/12 of 30 July 2012, Act No. 6/98 of 7 August 1998, Act No. 07/04 of 15 October 2004, Presidential Decree No. 105/12 of 1 June 2012, Decree No. 21/82 of 22 April 1982 and Act No. 25/12 of 22 August 2012 (Act on the Protection and Comprehensive Development of Children).

71.Rule 15, on legislation, of the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations in resolution 48/96 of 20 December 1993, establishes that States have a responsibility to create the legal bases for measures to achieve the objectives of full participation and equality for persons with disabilities.

72.Following this international rule, the Government has devoted special attention to issues relating to the protection and social integration of persons with disabilities, ensuring their constitutional dignity. In this context, and as early as the 1970s, in the period following independence, a number of separate laws have been incorporated into ordinary legislation with the intention of better directing measures taken for the benefit of this group.

73.Ordinary legislation also provides that all citizens should be treated equally. However, the rules and procedures of various institutions provide for special attention to be given to persons with disabilities, especially in transport, in State services and in commercial banks, shops and other establishments.

Article 13 Access to justice

74.Access to justice for all, on an equal basis, is guaranteed by article 29 (1) and (2) of the Constitution, which states that:

•Everyone shall be ensured access to the law and the courts in order to defend their legally protected rights and interests, and justice shall not be denied to anyone due to a lack of financial resources;

•Under the terms of the law, everyone shall possess the right to legal information and advice, to legal counsel (free legal aid) and to be accompanied by a lawyer before any authority.

75.The Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court, the Court of Auditors and provincial, municipal and military courts together make up the justice administration system in Angola, working to ensure that the democratic State and the rule of law are strengthened and that all persons can exercise their citizenship and effectively participate in public life in an inclusive manner. All courts administer justice within the scope of their powers and through the officials at their disposal, doing their utmost to deliver this important public service responsibly, swiftly and effectively.

76.The justice administration system also includes the Office of the Ombudsman, an independent public body whose remit is to defend the rights, freedoms and guarantees of citizens, ensuring justice and the legality of the public administration through informal channels. This and other functions are set out in article 30 (2) of Act No. 4/06 of 28 April 2006, which enshrines the Office’s mandate to receive complaints about acts or omissions of the public authorities. It considers these complaints without decision-making authority, addressing to the competent bodies the recommendations necessary to prevent and redress injustices. Such situations must be identified and addressed promptly and as a matter of priority when minors are involved. Another independent institution involved in the administration of justice is the Angolan Bar Association, which has a constitutional role in justice administration, strives to defend the democratic State and the rule of law, and protects the rights, freedoms and guarantees of citizens.

77.The executive branch is alert to the challenges facing the justice system in realizing its objectives. The implementation of measures to improve the material and technological conditions in which the bodies that administer justice operate, notably the amendment of the laws that structure the legal system – the Criminal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure, the Civil Code, the Code of Civil Procedure and the Public Defence Act – will help to eliminate many of the factors that compromise the State’s ability to administer justice in a manner that meets the legitimate expectations of citizens.

78.An out-of-court dispute settlement centre has also been created to provide various services under one roof, including legal advice, public defence, mediation and arbitration, to all individuals who do not have the financial means to pay legal costs or public defender fees. Its services contrast with formal proceedings in that they are provided swiftly, efficiently and directly to citizens, thereby guaranteeing the principle of “effective judicial protection” enshrined in article 29 of the Constitution, which provides that everyone shall be ensured access to the law and to the courts.

79.In recent years, the executive branch has adopted a raft of measures to modernize the justice administration system, notably by studying and introducing alternative dispute settlement mechanisms. These measures have included:

(a)Adopting the Voluntary Arbitration Act, which authorizes the creation of arbitration centres, as well as resolutions that reaffirm the stated aim of promoting dispute settlement through alternative means;

(b)Establishing a family mediation centre for the swift resolution of the various conflicts that families can experience, including conflicts related to divorce, separation, the allocation of parental responsibilities, alimony and the best interests of the child;

(c)Training conflict mediators;

(d)Adopting regulations for the prison system, including: the Prisons Act (Act No. 8/08) of 29 August 2008, governing careers in the prison service; Decree No. 43/99 of 24 December 1999, regulating the organization of labour in prison facilities; and Decree No. 64/04 of 1 October 2004, on the training of prison directors, social workers and officers.

Article 14 Liberty and security of the person

80.The enjoyment by persons with disabilities of the right to liberty and security of person and the guarantee under article 14 of the Convention that they will not be deprived of their liberty unlawfully or arbitrarily are addressed in keeping with the aims and principles set forth in the Constitution and by law. Enjoyment of the right to liberty and security of person is guaranteed for persons with disabilities under article 36 of the Constitution, which recognizes that everyone shall have the right to physical liberty and individual security, that no one may be deprived of his or her liberty, except in the cases prescribed by the Constitution and the law, nor be subjected to any form of violence, torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment by public or private entities.

81.The same article provides that persons with disabilities shall have the right to fully enjoy physical and mental integrity, the right to protection and control over their own bodies and the right not to be subjected to medical or scientific experiments without prior, informed and duly justified consent. At the institutional level, these rights are guaranteed by the National Police, whose Organic Statute, as approved by Decree No. 20/93, defines it as a militarized force responsible for:

(a)Overseeing the defence of democratic legality;

(b)Maintaining public order and peace;

(c)Respecting the regular exercise of citizens’ fundamental rights and freedoms;

(d)Protecting State, collective and private property;

(e)Preventing delinquency and fighting crime;

(f)Helping to implement national defence policy under the terms established by law.

Article 15 Freedom from torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment

82.In Angola, torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment are regarded as criminal practices and perpetrators may incur disciplinary, civil or criminal liability.

83.Torture and degrading treatment are prohibited under article 60 of the Constitution and, therefore, in all laws dealing with the treatment of human beings.

84.Angola has signed the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and the Optional Protocol thereto, and is working on their domestic ratification. The constitutional provision that prohibits torture covers everyone, including persons with disabilities. There have been several cases in which officials have been dismissed and either sentenced to imprisonment or ordered to pay compensation for acts of torture.

Article 16 Freedom from exploitation, violence and abuse

85.Article 31 of the Constitution recognizes the moral, intellectual and physical integrity of all individuals, including persons with disabilities. The Criminal Code lays down a number of penalties for the abuse of persons. The Domestic Violence Act (Act No. 25/11) also sets forth several measures to prevent assaults within the family or in institutions.

86.Act No. 3/14, on crimes underlying money-laundering, which include trafficking, establishes the criminal liability of perpetrators of exploitation and trafficking in persons, including persons with disabilities. There is also a commission that monitors and follows up on cases of trafficking in persons in Angola.

Article 17Protecting the integrity of the person

87.Article 31 of the Constitution recognizes the psychological, intellectual and physical integrity of individuals, including persons with disabilities. The Criminal Code lays down a number of penalties for the abuse of persons.

88.Specific actions to promote and protect the rights of persons with disabilities are coordinated and implemented by the various ministries and social partners at the national, provincial and local levels, including efforts to monitor compliance with the Constitution, the law and applicable international legal instruments. These actions cover the following areas:

(a)Education and vocational training, promoting inclusion and affection within the family unit, encouraging the equal treatment of all family members and facilitating access to the different levels of education, including technical and vocational training, for persons with disabilities, with the aim of enhancing their academic success and thus ensuring their social integration and inclusion. Another aim is to accelerate creation of the conditions necessary for the expansion, improvement and further development of the special education system by using modern technologies and techniques;

(b)Transport, creating conditions that ensure unrestricted access to mass public transport for persons with disabilities, with easy boarding and alighting and the necessary adaptation, safety and information, while bearing in mind the need to transport the assistive devices (wheelchairs, tricycles, crutches, canes, etc.) that persons with disabilities might use;

(c)Social assistance, revitalizing the social assistance, support and psychosocial care services available for persons with disabilities with a view to maintaining their quality of life, ensuring their comprehensive rehabilitation, reintegration, orientation and reorientation and promoting their independence and autonomy. Complementary activities include statistical analysis of the situation of persons with disabilities in communities and the creation of an updatable record-keeping system detailing, especially for women and children, referrals to specialized health services, physical rehabilitation, education, technical and vocational training, employment and the provision of assistive devices for orientation and mobility;

(d)Culture, creating conditions that foster the artistic creativity of persons with disabilities in literature, music, song and scenography, among other areas, by providing human, material and financial resources to the institutions involved in such activities;

(e)Media and access to information, disseminating information about disability through the media in order to mobilize Angolan society and raise awareness and thus to strengthen society’s commitment to protecting and respecting the rights of persons with disabilities and ensure their inclusion and participation in working life, with the necessary civil society cooperation and support;

(f)Human resources training, with the aim of managing and implementing science and technology programmes, ensuring the quality of the services provided to recipients and providing continuous training for persons with disabilities seeking various types of professional qualifications. Participants may be involved in activities in areas such as physical rehabilitation, health, defectology, special education, sign language interpreting, training of trainers, adaptive sport, advice and counselling, social project design and management, community intervention, early childhood and senior care and monitoring, and activism and association leadership;

(g)Sport, which, as an activity that promotes the integration and empowerment of persons with disabilities, has been developed enormously in various disciplines, with human, material and financial resources being provided at a level compatible with the current reality of the country. The teaching of sport in school curricula has been extended in keeping with an approach that includes children and young people with disabilities;

(h)Justice, focusing on the creation of conditions ensuring legal protection and access to justice for persons with disabilities, without restrictions.

89.Support for victims of domestic violence was one of the components of the National Action Plan of the Ministry for Social Action, the Family and the Advancement of Women, which was reviewed in 2012. Action to implement the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, the Beijing Platform for Action, the African Platform for Action, the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development, the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol) of 2005 and the Declaration on Gender and Development of the Southern African Development Community of 1997 and its Addendum on the Prevention and Eradication of Violence against Women and Children was a key part of the work undertaken in this area. The commitments and responsibilities assumed by the Government under all these instruments are taken into account when formulating policies, strategies, laws, regulations, programmes, plans and activities that together afford protection for the integrity of persons with disabilities.

90.The Civil Protection and Fire Brigade, a body created under the aegis of the Ministry of the Interior with the objective of saving lives and protecting public and private property, has expanded its presence at the community level so as to reduce response times in areas at risk of disaster. It currently has 7,000 personnel assigned to 1,431 facilities and organizational units, including fire stations. While the Brigade’s performance has been evaluated as fairly satisfactory, a significant modernization effort is required to enhance its technical expertise, technologies, speed and pragmatism. Work to this end is under way.

Article 18Liberty of movement and nationality

91.The executive branch has taken appropriate measures to ensure that Angolan citizens and foreign nationals legally residing in the country may freely establish their residence, move and settle anywhere in the country, emigrate, and leave and return to the country subject to the restrictions established by law. Angolan nationality may be held by origin or be acquired, meaning that children whose mother or father has Angolan nationality, whether born in Angola or abroad, and infants found in Angolan territory in a situation of statelessness, acquire nationality in accordance with the specific law.

92.Nationality is acquired without distinction as to the person’s capacity.

93.Considerable progress has been made in respect of birth registration, thanks to efforts to restore to citizens a right that was denied them during the years of armed conflict. The executive branch has been constantly seeking better ways to ensure that the birth registration system runs smoothly and thus that all children, including those with disabilities, are registered immediately after birth and consequently acquire a name and a nationality and enjoy the right to know and to be treated with dignity by their parents.

94.Since the exact number of unregistered Angolans has not yet been established, the Government adopted Presidential Order No. 80/13 of 5 September 2013, providing for temporary exemption measures, and Executive Decree No. 309/13 of 23 September 2013, exempting citizens from the payment of birth registration and identity card issuance fees until 31 December 2016.

95.It is working to create the conditions necessary to guarantee unrestricted access to mass public transport for persons with disabilities, with easy boarding and alighting and the necessary adaptations, safety features and information, while bearing in mind the need to transport any assistive devices such as wheelchairs, tricycles, crutches and canes that persons with disabilities might use.

Article 19 Living independently and being included in the community

96.The right of persons with disabilities to live independently and to be included in the community, as envisaged under article 19 of the Convention, is recognized and integrated into the State policies laid out in the medium-term 2013–2017 National Development Plan and the Angola 2025 Long-Term Development Strategy, both of which are being implemented with due consideration for the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

97.As a State party to a number of international human rights treaties, Angola has adopted a Constitution built on principles that are aligned with these instruments, notably in the following articles:

(a)Article 31, establishing the inviolability of the psychological, intellectual and physical integrity of the person and the obligation to respect and protect personal dignity;

(b)Article 32, recognizing the right to personal identity, civil capacity, nationality, a good name and reputation, protection of image, freedom of speech, privacy in personal and family life and effective guarantees against the procurement and use of information relating to individuals and families in a manner that is abusive or contrary to human dignity;

(c)Article 33, establishing the inviolability of the home, which provides that no one may enter or carry out a search or seizure in the home of any other person without his or her consent, except with a warrant issued by the competent authority, in the event of flagrante delicto or when necessary to provide assistance in an emergency situation;

(d)Article 34, establishing the confidentiality of correspondence and communications (postal, telegraphic, telephone and electronic communications); article 35, on the right to freely found a family; article 36, on the right to physical liberty and security of the person, which includes the right not to be subjected to violence by public or private entities, the right not to be subjected to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, the right not to be subjected to medical or scientific experimentation without prior consent, the right to physical and psychological integrity and the right to bodily integrity and to control one’s own body;

(e)Article 37, on the right to own and dispose of property; article 38, on the right to freely engage in private economic initiatives;

(f)Article 39, on the right to live in a healthy and unpolluted environment and the duty to defend and preserve the environment;

(g)Article 40, on the right to freely express, publicize and share ideas and opinions through words and images;

(h)Article 41, on the inviolability of freedom of conscience, religion and worship;

(i)Article 42, on the free expression of intellectual, artistic, political, scientific and communications activity, independently of censorship or licence;

(j)Article 43, on freedom of intellectual, artistic, scientific and technological creation; article 46, on freedom to establish residence and to move and settle anywhere in the national territory;

(k)Article 47, on freedom of assembly and peaceful, unarmed demonstration.

(l)Article 48, on freedom of association, including freedom of professional association and trade union freedom.

98.The review of Angola’s socioeconomic performance during the period 2007–2012 conducted with a view to evaluating the efficacy of the national development policies set out in the 2013–2017 National Development Plan, provides indicators of the success of the main policy reforms and measures adopted in each sector, including in particular, at the legislative and regulatory level:

(a)The Municipal Programme for Rural Development and Poverty Alleviation;

(b)Public Investment Planning and Management;

(c)The Family Code and strengthening of the role of the National Council for the Family;

(d)Funding for Vocational Training;

(e)The National Health Policy; the State’s youth policy; radio and television broadcasting and the National Social Communication Council; support for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises; the National Support Programme for Rural Women; the “Water for All” programme; the National Master Plan for the Transport System; the National Health Development Plan 2012–2021; and the programme for the modernization and reform of the justice administration system.

99.These policy measures and reforms clearly incorporate content addressing disability and reflect the principles, duties and obligations assumed by the State in addressing all aspects of this issue, recognizing, as established in the Convention:

(a)That disability is an evolving concept that results from the interaction between persons with different capacities and behavioural and environmental barriers that hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others;

(b)The importance of the principles and policy guidelines contained in the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons and in the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities in influencing the promotion, formulation and evaluation of policies, plans, programmes and actions adopted at the national, regional and international levels to further equalize opportunities for persons with disabilities;

(c)The importance of mainstreaming disability issues as an integral part of relevant sustainable development strategies;

(d)That discrimination against any person on the basis of disability is a violation of the inherent dignity and worth of the human person.

100.The review also included a sectoral analysis that identified critical weaknesses and main areas of opportunity, noting that the development of the different sectors is limited by factors that must be overcome, within a short space of time, in order to ensure the sustainability and dynamics of the development process in Angola. The most significant of these cross-cutting factors are:

(a)The high unemployment rate;

(b)Gender disparities of multiple dimensions;

(c)The low skills level of the economically active population, primarily in technical professions;

(d)The high illiteracy rate in rural areas;

(e)The shortage of qualified workers with academic and vocational training;

(f)The insufficient availability of technical and vocational education;

(g)The lack of the infrastructures – mainly water, sanitation and power infrastructures – necessary for the establishment of industries;

(h)High administrative and procedural costs, particularly in the public administration and justice system; high port and shipping costs.

101.Nevertheless, the country has great potential, making it capable of turning weaknesses into strengths and overcoming any threats that may emerge. This potential rests, in particular, on:

(a)Its relatively young population;

(b)Abundant and varied natural resources;

(c)Plentiful water resources and extensive territory;

(d)Conditions suited to the establishment of industrial development hubs and zones;

(e)Rising demand for all levels of education, as the generation born this century – after peace was established in 2002 – enters the different education subsystems;

(f)A strong commitment to the development of technical and vocational education;

(g)A young population available to participate in vocational training;

(h)Continuing activities in the areas of preventive health and health education.

102.All the country’s development actions, policies and outcomes necessarily rest on its people, pursuing objectives underpinned by the following policy priorities:

(a)Formulating national population policy that takes into account the results of the 2014 general population and housing census;

(b)Implementing a policy that supports and recognizes the value of the family, creating economic, social, cultural and political conditions that enable families to fulfil their central role in society as the basic social unit, with respect for their identity, unity, autonomy and traditional values;

(c)Implementing a gender equality policy that promotes equal opportunities, rights and responsibilities for men and women, in all areas of economic, political and social life;

(d)Providing services and undertaking actions designed to meet the basic needs of older persons, with the participation of families, society and governmental and non-governmental bodies;

(e)Ensuring the comprehensive protection of children’s rights, with a view to the full, effective and continuing observance of the principles recognized in national legislation and in the international treaties to which Angola is a party, and establishing an effective agenda for the defence of children’s rights;

(f)Ensuring that internal and external migratory movements are addressed in the national development strategy and the national population policy.

103.With regard to the policy of support for the socioeconomic reintegration of veterans, there is an imperative need to ensure the rehabilitation of veterans with disabilities through policy measures aimed at:

(a)Ensuring their access to rehabilitation;

(b)Promoting skills and their return to work;

(c)Ensuring the availability of technical assistance and compensation mechanisms for this group.

Article 20Personal mobility

104.Pursuant to article 20 of the Convention, the Government has introduced public policy measures to ensure that persons with disabilities can enjoy personal mobility with the greatest possible independence and in the manner and at the time of their choice. These measures include providing mobility aids, devices, assistive technologies and other forms of assistance, as well as training in mobility skills for persons with disabilities and specialist staff. Mobility aids are either imported or produced internally, and are made available free of charge.

105.Plans were made to provide means of transport and assistive devices over the period 2012–2017 in order to contribute actively to poverty reduction in Angola by facilitating the social and productive reintegration of the most vulnerable groups. This programme for the allocation of means of transport benefited a total of 132,000 persons with disabilities over the period.

106.In addition, as a result of the various support measures introduced, a total of 91,027 persons with disabilities received support in the form of assistive devices, consisting of means of transport and orientation such as wheelchairs, clothing for children and adults, handcycles, guides for blind persons, crutches, walking sticks, walking frames, motorized cargo tricycles and motorized passenger tricycles.

Article 21Freedom of expression and opinion, and access to information

107.The State’s obligation under the Convention to take appropriate measures to ensure that persons with disabilities can exercise their right to freedom of expression and opinion, including the freedom to receive and impart information and ideas on an equal basis with others and through all forms of communication of their choice, is covered by article 40 of the Constitution, which establishes the right of all citizens to freely express, impart and share their thoughts, ideas and opinions through words and images.

108.The concept of freedom of expression is interpreted broadly to include aspects such as the provision of protection for persons with disabilities on an equal basis with others, as envisaged in current laws including Act No. 21/12 of 30 June, Act No. 6/98 of 7 August and Decree No. 21/82 of 22 April. The application of all these instruments is supported by the implementation of the National Strategic Policy on the Protection of Persons with Disabilities.

109.On a practical level, there are still obvious shortcomings when it comes to providing information intended for the general public to persons with disabilities in accessible formats and technologies appropriate to different kinds of disabilities and the use of sign language, Braille, augmentative and alternative communication, and all other accessible means, modes and formats of communication of their choice by persons with disabilities in official interactions. Such means and formats are currently only available in public special schools, although these are expanding.

110.In spite of the various constraints, steps have been taken to promote technical, scientific and ethics-related training and refresher courses, and other information processes aimed at media professionals, in order to safeguard the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities.

Article 22Respect for privacy

111.The principles established in article 22 of the Convention apply to all citizens without exception. They are implemented in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Constitution, which are fully aligned with the Convention:

(a)Article 32. All citizens shall have the right to personal identity, civil capacity, nationality, a good name and reputation, protection of their image, freedom of speech and privacy in personal and family life. The law shall establish effective guarantees against the procurement and use of information relating to individuals and families in a manner that is abusive or contrary to human dignity;

(b)Article 33. The home shall be inviolable. No one may enter or carry out a search or seizure in the home of any person without his or her consent, except in the situations defined in the Constitution and in law, when the competent authority has issued a warrant in the legally prescribed manner and circumstances, or in cases of flagrante delicto or emergency situations, for the provision of assistance. The law shall establish the cases in which the competent authority may order the entry to and search of a home and the seizure of property, documents or other objects in the home;

(c)Article 34. The confidentiality of correspondence and other means of private communication, such as postal, telegraphic, telephone and electronic communications, shall be inviolable. Interference by the public authorities in correspondence and other means of private communication shall be permitted only on the basis of a decision handed down by the competent judicial authority in accordance with the law.

112.As far as the general public is concerned, there have been no complaints of violations of these Convention-based and constitutional rights involving law enforcement officers or public or private collective entities.

Article 23Respect for home and the family

113.Article 35 of the Constitution states that the family, as the basic unit of social organization, is subject to special State protection, whether it is based on marriage or a de facto union between a man and a woman. All persons have the right to found a family freely. In this context, men and women are equal within the family, society and the State having the same rights and duties.

114.Children are equal before the law; any discrimination against them and the use of any discriminatory terms relating to filiation is prohibited. The protection of minors, especially the need to ensure a well-rounded and balanced education, health protection and good living conditions, is treated as a priority, including in the case of family members with disabilities.

115.Article 2 of the Family Code, which was approved through Act No. 188 of 20 February, establishes the need for harmony and responsibility within the family. It stipulates that the family has a duty to instil in all its members a strong work ethic; respect for cultural values; a commitment to combating outdated ideas, exploitation and oppression; and loyalty to their homeland, thereby contributing to the harmonious and balanced growth of all family members and allowing the full development of their personality and abilities, in the interests of society as a whole.

116.It can be concluded that Angolan law does not in any way prevent persons with disabilities from exercising their right to marry and to found a family on the basis of free and full consent. Persons with disabilities have equal access to family planning, assisted reproduction and adoption or fostering programmes, in accordance with the Constitution and the law.

Article 24Education

117.Article 79 of the Constitution establishes the right to education for all. The right to education of persons with disabilities is specifically enshrined in article 22 of Act No. 21/12 on Persons with Disabilities, as described below.

118.The State is responsible for adopting the specific measures needed to ensure access to inclusive education for persons with disabilities through the provision of appropriate resources and tools for learning and communication.

119.Since 2008, the National Institute of Special Education has been laying the groundwork for the collection and processing of statistical data with a view to developing basic indicators with which to work on improving the situation.

120.In the field of special education, by 2011 the Government had achieved the following:

(a)A total of 20 provincial special schools (1 in each province) had been set up under the authority of the Ministry of Education;

(b)A total of 23,193 students – of whom 12,666 (55 per cent) were male and 10,527 (45 per cent) were female – were enrolled in 775 inclusive schools.

Article 25Health

121.All citizens have the right to health and social protection, without any discrimination. This right must be guaranteed by the State, which is committed to taking the measures needed to ensure universal access to medical and health care, as well as maternal and child care and care in the event of sickness or disability, during old age and in any situation in which a person is unable to work, in accordance with article 77 of the Constitution. The State also regulates the production, distribution, marketing and use of chemical, biological and pharmaceutical products and other means of treatment and diagnosis, encourages the development of medical and surgical training and drug and health-related research and oversees private and cooperative initiatives in the fields of health care, welfare and social security.

122.In relation to this right, which is established by the Constitution in accordance with article 25 of the Convention, measures are taken to ensure medical and medicinal treatment and follow-up for persons with disabilities who use public health institutions; to strengthen coordination mechanisms in order to facilitate access to public health services; and to establish specific guidelines that prioritize care and the availability of essential drugs at affordable prices and promote the rational use of these drugs.

123.Also in accordance with article 25 of the Convention, Act No. 21/12 on Persons with Disabilities guarantees the right to health of persons with disabilities specifically.

124.The State is responsible for adopting the specific measures needed to ensure health promotion and monitoring, diagnosis, early stimulation and medical and functional habilitation and rehabilitation for persons with disabilities, as well as the provision, adjustment, maintenance and renewal of appropriate means of compensation.

125.The 2013–2017 National Development Plan is designed to promote the good health of Angolans in a sustainable manner and to ensure their longevity by supporting the most disadvantaged social groups and helping to reduce poverty; improving the provision of quality health care, especially as regards promotion, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation; and strengthening coordination between primary care and hospital care.

Article 26Habilitation and rehabilitation

126.Although the measures taken under article 26 of the Convention to enable persons with disabilities to attain and maintain maximum independence, full physical, mental, social and vocational capacity, and full inclusion and participation in all aspects of life remain insufficient, they have nevertheless resulted in the strengthening and development of habilitation and rehabilitation services for a large number of persons with disabilities in various fields:

(a)In the field of health, 11 centres for orthopaedics and physical rehabilitation have been set up in order to ensure more balanced regional coverage. Access to these centres is free for persons with disabilities. In addition, a philanthropic institution called Kimbo Liambembwa is working with a similar German institution on projects involving the provision of specialized medical treatment to vulnerable children and young persons without financial resources with a view to their rehabilitation. So far, a total of 50 operations have been performed and 1,650 children and young persons from all provinces of the country have been restored to health and reintegrated into their families;

(b)In the field of social services, the Government helps former military personnel with disabilities to acquire new skills and re-enter the world of work, through the Rehabilitation Programme for Military Veterans with Disabilities;

(c)Initial and continuing training is guaranteed for health-care professionals and other skilled staff involved in the provision of habilitation and rehabilitation services. As regards the recruitment and training of social workers and civil servants, the number of staff trained and recruited in recent years has varied, as follows: 3,500 persons in 2012; 5,700 in 2013; 4,750 in 2014; and projected recruitment of 3,800 in 2015, 2,850 in 2016 and 1,900 in 2017, giving a total of 22,500 professionals;

(d)As regards the availability, knowledge and use of assistive devices and technologies for the habilitation and rehabilitation of persons with disabilities, both remedial devices and technical assistance have been provided to military veterans with disabilities. Of a total of 88,504 persons with disabilities, 73,730 persons have received support. The following devices have been distributed: 6,290 wheelchairs for adults, 200 wheelchairs for children, 16,560 guides and 2,155 canes for blind persons, 36,229 pairs of crutches for adults and 8,254 pairs for children, 1,370 walking frames, 428 motorized cargo tricycles and 240 motorized passenger tricycles;

(e)Under the Community-Based Rehabilitation Programme, 14,774 persons with impairments have been recruited by various specialized services or for socioeconomic projects, and a number of military veterans and persons with war-related disabilities have been reintegrated over time, as follows: 3,182 persons reintegrated in 2012; 39,715 in 2013; 40,332 in 2014; and projected integration of 25,779 persons in 2015, 10,163 in 2016 and 5,156 in 2017;

(f)The Liga de Apoio à Integração dos Deficientes (League to Support the Integration of Persons with Disabilities, or LARDEF), a civil society organization that works with the Government, provides ongoing support to 7,200 persons with motor impairments and helps them to enjoy a better life and greater social integration.

127.The national Government focuses its efforts on several different areas; the charts below reflect some of the data mentioned above and show the distribution of staff engaged in the rehabilitation of persons with disabilities.

Chart 1Rehabilitation personnel

128.A total of 289 rehabilitation professionals currently work in the national health system. Their skills profile is shown in percentages in the chart above.

Figure 1Distribution of specialists by province

Article 27Work and employment

129.In recognition of the principles set out in article 27 of the Convention, the State has defined policies that enable persons with disabilities to work on an equal basis with others and to have the opportunity to earn a living by work freely chosen or accepted in a labour market and work environment that is open and accessible, without any discrimination. These policies promote equal pay for work of equal value, safe and healthy working conditions, protection from harassment and the redress of grievances.

130.The right of persons with disabilities to training, employment and work is enshrined in article 15 of Act No. 21/12 on Persons with Disabilities. In addition, Presidential Decree No. 12/16 of 15 January, establishing regulations on the reservation of posts and procedures for the recruitment of persons with disabilities, was promulgated in January 2016. It stipulates that 4 per cent of public sector posts and 2 per cent of private sector posts must be reserved for persons with disabilities.

131.In this context, unions are called upon to fulfil their role by ensuring that workers with disabilities are able to exercise their labour and trade union rights on an equal basis with others. Persons with disabilities also enjoy the rights to effective access to general technical and vocational guidance programmes, placement services and continuing training; career advancement and assistance in finding, obtaining, maintaining and returning to employment; and opportunities for self-employment, entrepreneurship, the development of cooperatives and starting one’s own business.

132.The National Institute of Employment and Vocational Training, which is supervised by the Ministry of Public Administration, Employment and Social Security, has 559 public and private vocational training centres and 57 employment centres, including local and municipal entrepreneurship centres, all of which provide support to persons with disabilities. It is worth noting, in particular, the Occupational Rehabilitation Centre, which was set up in 1991 to provide vocational training and employment services to persons with disabilities.

133.The Occupational Rehabilitation Centre assists all persons who expressly request vocational training, without prejudice to the activities carried out in the other centres, where persons with disabilities are attended to without discrimination of any kind. In 2014, a total of 183 specialists, including 52 women, were trained in various specializations in 11 provinces.

134.A further 270 specialists were trained through the “Come with Me” project, which was organized in collaboration with the Associação Nacional dos Deficientes de Angola (National Association of Persons with Disabilities of Angola, or ANDA), and 16 specialists received training as part of the Formei Project, under the tripartite protocol signed by the Fundação Lwini (Lwini Foundation), the Cabinda Gulf Oil Company and the National Institute of Employment and Vocational Training.

135.A total of 485 specialists have been trained; of these, 345 have already gained access to employment or self-employment through entrepreneurship programmes.

136.As a result of collaboration between the Instituto de Apoio às Micro, Pequenas e Médias Empresas (Support Institute for Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Entreprises, or INAPEM) and the Associação de Comerciantes e Ambulantes Portadores de Deficiência de Angola (Angolan Association of Traders and Street Vendors with Disabilities, or ACAPODA), 786 persons with disabilities – 25 in the province of Benguela, 93 in the province of Bengo and 668 in the province of Luanda – have received training on how to start their own business.

137.As regards vocational training courses, by September 2015, the training centres of the Ministry of Public Administration, Employment and Social Security in the provinces of Luanda, Bié, Cunene, Huambo, Huíla, Kwanza Norte, Kwanza Sul, Kuando Kubango, Malanje, Moxico and Zaire had registered a total of 213 persons, of whom 138 were men and 75 (or 36 per cent) were women. A total of 212 persons with various disabilities – of whom 135 were men and 77 (or 36 per cent) were women – had enrolled for training in a range of professions. The training was successfully completed by 99 of the persons enrolled; of those, 67 were men and 32 (or 32 per cent) were women. A total of 112 persons are still in training; of those, 67 are men and 45 (or 40 per cent) are women.

138.As another measure to promote social and productive inclusion, 20 integrated community centres have been built in the provinces of Benguela, Cabinda, Uíge and Zaire. Cooperatives and associations have been set up in various professional fields, and have helped to reduce the social dependence of 47,004 persons with disabilities and around 235,020 members of their families.

Article 28Adequate standard of living and social protection

139.In accordance with article 28 of the Convention, article 18 of Act No. 21/12 on Persons with Disabilities stipulates that the State should adopt the specific measures needed to ensure the social protection of persons with disabilities through pecuniary or in-kind benefits designed to promote individual autonomy and appropriate professional and social integration.

140.Raising living standards and improving social protection for citizens are the cornerstones of the territorial organization, planning and programming models at the heart of Government strategy for national development, which is inextricably linked to human development. The State pays special attention to the right to social protection of persons with disabilities and their enjoyment of this right without discrimination.

141.Alongside the comparative measures used to rank countries according to their level of human development, Angola uses data on life expectancy at birth, education and gross domestic product (GDP) per capita as indicators of standard of living. These indicators are reflected in the Government performance review, which reflects the tangible results included in the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) report, in which Angola is placed 149th in the country rankings.

142.In this context, the Government is channelling its efforts into the implementation of the Angola 2025 Long-Term National Strategy, which includes the medium-term 2013–2017 National Development Plan. Both the Strategy and the Plan focus on promoting human development and the well-being of Angolans, improving their quality of life, combating hunger and extreme poverty and promoting sustainable, competitive and equitable development in order to secure the future for generations to come.

143.An important element of the 2013–2017 National Development Plan is the programme designed to strengthen families and improve their living conditions by:

(a)Creating economic, social, cultural and political conditions that enable families to fulfil their central role in society, as the basic social unit, with respect for their identity, unity, autonomy and traditional values;

(b)Promoting the presence and participation of families in the economy and society and recognizing the role that they play in integration, cohesion and social stability;

(c)Helping to strengthen families and build their self-esteem by supporting the efforts of each family to generate resources and creating opportunities, so as to allow families to make their own choices and gain a sense of responsibility;

(d)Promoting solidarity between generations and between family members, and fostering a culture of gender equality and responsibility sharing;

(e)Promoting family stability, including support for young persons and the protection of minors and older persons;

(f)Ensuring that differentiated social services are available to families and their members, especially the most vulnerable families;

(g)Building the capacities of institutions that deal with family-related issues and enhancing the mechanisms in place for the implementation of policies, programmes and projects aimed at improving the living conditions of families;

(h)Establishing a system for the collection, analysis, dissemination and storage of data concerning families, in order to improve the monitoring of key aspects of family life.

Article 29Participation in political and public life

144.Ensuring the right to participate in political and public life, in line with article 29 of the Convention, requires, firstly, a commitment to the fundamental values and principles of democracy and accountability towards the rights holder and other persons; and, secondly, the safeguarding of citizens’ civil and political rights by the State and the assignment of duties, which play an active role in the development of society.

145.When it comes to guaranteeing that persons with disabilities have the opportunity to enjoy their rights on an equal basis with others, the State is committed to ensuring that they are able to participate directly or through freely chosen representatives and to exercise their right to vote and to be elected, taking into account the limitations associated with each type of disability. The following provisions of the Constitution are also aimed at achieving these goals:

(a)Article 52 establishes that all citizens, without discrimination, have the right to take part in political life and the conduct of public affairs, and the duty to comply with and respect the law and obey the orders issued by legitimate authorities under the terms of the Constitution and the law, with due respect for fundamental rights, freedoms and guarantees;

(b)Article 53 establishes that all citizens have the free and equal right to stand for public office, under the terms of the Constitution and the law, and shall not face discrimination in respect of their recruitment, employment or professional career or the social benefits to which they may be entitled;

(c)Article 54 governs the age and capacity of citizens in relation to the right to vote and to stand for election to, and serve on, any national or local government body.

146.There are no situations in which persons with disabilities are discriminated against or restricted in their right to vote. Under article 9 of Organic Act No. 36/11 of 21 December on general elections in Angola, restrictions on the right to vote may be applied only to persons of unsound mind who have been committed to hospitals or officially diagnosed, that is, to a specific group of persons with a specific disability and not to all persons with disabilities. The Government is considering the possibility of drafting a general law on equality and non-discrimination for all citizens when the time and conditions are right.

Article 30Participation in cultural life, recreation, leisure and sport

147.All persons with disabilities can be, and indeed are, involved in sporting activities. The National Paralympic Committee and the Sports Association for Persons with Disabilities have given fresh impetus to activities organized with and for persons with disabilities. Angola holds domestic tournaments and one Angolan athlete with a disability has won several gold medals in athletics.

Article 31Statistics and data collection

148.The commitment made by the State when it ratified the Convention reaffirmed the Government’s strategic aim of providing the country with an up-to-date sociodemographic database that would serve as a framework for planning, monitoring and evaluating development programmes and projects and monitoring and evaluating the poverty reduction programmes under way in Angola, and that would also fulfil its obligations under article 31.

149.The national population and housing census that was conducted from 16 to 31 May 2014 was the first to be carried out since Angola gained independence. The findings were published in a final report in March 2016. In section 7.1.8, on the prevalence of disability, there is a brief analysis of the indicators of disability in Angola, with supporting graphs that can be found in the annex of the report in question. Statistical data on disability are part of the common core of the surveys of households (heads of family) that will be carried out in the coming years by the National Institute of Statistics, using the National Statistical System, in accordance with the 2015–2025 Strategy for the Development of Statistics in Angola.

150.The collection and processing of personal data is regulated in Angolan legislation by Act No. 3/11 of 14 January on the National Statistical System, which guarantees that such data are collected and published with due regard for confidentiality and privacy.

151.The data on disability, together with other categories of information on the Angolan population, are also being used to assess the country’s progress with respect to the Millennium Development Goals, the groundwork for the Sustainable Development Goals and the “A World Fit for Children” Plan of Action. These data also make up for the previous lack of up-to-date information, which is essential for reporting on planning processes, and make it possible to evaluate the impacts of the policies that have been implemented.

152.More generally, the disaggregated data published in the document and made publicly available provide a means to assess the extent to which the State has met its obligations through the wide range of approaches used to address issues relating to the rights of persons with disabilities. The data are disaggregated as follows:

(a)Persons with disabilities by age group and sex;

(b)Persons with disabilities by type of disability;

(c)Prevalence of disability by province;

(d)Persons with disabilities by province and area of residence, type of disability and sex;

(e)Persons with disabilities by province and area of residence and cause of disability.

Chart 2Population with disabilities, disaggregated by type of disability

6,4 ,45 0,8 ,90 113, 013, ,136 350, 0510152025303540MudoSordoMiembro(s) Superior(es)Amputado(s)CiegoMiembro(s) Inferiore(s)Amputado(s)ParalíticoDiscapacidad intelectualOtros%

Figure 2Prevalence of disability by province

Article 32International cooperation

153.As a State committed to a major project underpinned by human dignity and the will of the Angolan people that has as its main aim the construction of a free, just and democratic society of solidarity, peace, equality and social progress, Angola has ratified the Convention and is working to implement its provisions in cooperation with various partners, with due regard for the principles set out in article 32.

154.At the national level, its main civil society partners are:

(a)The National Paralympic Committee, which is responsible for:

(i)Disseminating, developing and protecting the Paralympic Movement, preserving its own autonomy and resisting any political, religious or economic pressures that might prevent it from complying with the Olympic Charter;

(ii)Ensuring the effective representation of women in governing bodies at the different hierarchical levels, in accordance with the principles of the Paralympic Movement;

(iii)Encouraging people, especially young people, to take an interest in sport and the practice of sport as a character-building activity that promotes good health and culture;

(iv)Ensuring national representation at the Paralympic Games, as well as at other sporting events and training activities promoted by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which organizes the Olympic Games, and other activities promoted by IOC in Angolan territory;

(v)Representing national sports federations and equivalent entities for particular sports in dialogues with the Government and other official bodies on any matters raised by the Organized Sports Assembly;

(vi)Representing the Adapted Sports Association in all provinces in dialogues with local government and other official bodies on any matters raised by the Adapted Sports Assembly;

(vii)Maintaining relations with the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), the national paralympic committees of other countries, the organizing committees of the games sponsored by IOC and the other international organizations with which the Olympic Movement interacts;

(viii)Contributing to the establishment of institutions dedicated to Olympic education, such as the Olympic Academy and the Olympic Museum; helping to train sports administrators and coaches; organizing courses for managers and coaches; disseminating the Fundamental Principles of Olympism; and striving to combat all forms of discrimination and violence in sport;

(ix)Combating the use of substances, supporting processes led by IOC or by international federations and ensuring compliance with the Olympic Movement Medical Code, which applies to all persons and all competitions held within the jurisdiction of the Angolan Olympic Committee.

(b)The Fundação Lwini (Lwini Foundation), an organization that was founded on the initiative of the First Lady of the Republic of Angola, who was inspired by images of the visit of Diana, princess of Wales, to Angola in January 1997, which raised global awareness of the situation of landmine victims in the country. It was set up on 30 June 1998 as a not-for-profit collective entity under private law that operates in the public interest and has legal personality. Its social objectives are as follows:

(i)Raising funds and taking action to support civilian victims of landmines, especially women and children;

(ii)Carrying out advocacy, mobilization and awareness-raising relating to persons with disabilities, involving family members and the general public;

(iii)Taking action to facilitate access to specialized medical care;

(iv)Facilitating access to employment, either by implementing special education programmes and vocational training measures or by promoting jobs that are adapted to specific psychomotor situations;

(v)Supporting the development of social policies and programmes aimed at civilian victims of mines and contributing to their social integration and reintegration;

(vi)Collaborating on mine risk education and prevention;

(vii)Promoting agriculture, literacy, rural development and social services;

(viii)Contributing to the development of policies benefiting the target population;

(ix)Promoting and supporting programmes that involve creating funds and granting loans to women and other income-generating initiatives within rural communities, especially those aimed at war widows and homeless women;

(x)Ensuring greater involvement in microcredit initiatives and influencing the implementation of specific measures aimed at the target population;

(xi)Promoting and engaging in strategic cooperation in order to achieve the goals that have been set.

(c)ANDA (National Association of Persons with Disabilities of Angola), a public interest association that is implementing a social solidarity project called “Come with Me”, with the aim of:

(i)Removing beggars with disabilities from the streets and housing them at vocational training and physical rehabilitation centres or reintegrating them into their communities of origin;

(ii)Building small vocational training centres, schools, fountains and health centres in such communities.

(d)LARDEF (League to Support the Integration of Persons with Disabilities), an organization founded in 1997 that is working on the following activities:

(i)A community-based rehabilitation project, in collaboration with Handicap International;

(ii)Projects that generate financial returns.

(e)The Associação Angolana de Deficientes Ex-Militares (Angolan Association of Military Veterans with Disabilities, or AMMIGA), which encourages its members to work with the various ministries in order to improve their living conditions by entering the labour market through micro-businesses or cooperatives that provide services. The association also establishes cooperatives and supports the farming activities of former military personnel with disabilities, provides medical care and medicines, and facilitates access to formal education;

(f)The Associação dos Comerciantes e Ambulantes Portadores de Deficiência em Angola (Angolan Association of Traders and Street Vendors with Disabilities, or ACAPODA), an association with approximately 5,000 members that encourages persons with disabilities to engage in trade and helps them to gain financial autonomy so that they can enjoy a decent quality of life;

(g)The Conselho de Igrejas Cristãs em Angola (Council of Christian Churches in Angola, or CICA), which supports the long-term development of the poorest areas of Angola through approaches that focus on ensuring the participation of all, strengthening communities, gender equality, respect for cultural and spiritual differences, human rights, protection and health;

(h)Acção para o Desenvolvimento Rural e Ambiente (Action for Rural Development and the Environment, or ADRA), an organization that seeks to contribute to democratic, sustainable and socially and environmentally just rural development and to the process of national reconciliation and peace in Angola. In line with the commitment that it has made both internally and publicly, it is implementing a strategic plan for 2012–2016 that has the following objectives:

(i)To contribute to sustainable local development processes by strengthening the capacity of local stakeholders to implement integrated economic, social and environmental policy initiatives;

(ii)To influence public policies and democratic practices through debate and greater engagement in the areas of civil society coordination and the defence of human rights;

(iii)To establish a recruitment policy that takes into account new institutional challenges (profile, knowledge, capacities, skills, values and personnel management), with a view to defining appropriate methodologies, tools and work systems in order to take more effective action;

(iv)To strengthen institutional capacity to attract, diversify and manage resources and to demonstrate accountability to members, partners, financial backers and society.

155.At the international level, the State engages in cooperation with a wide range of organizations, including:

(a)The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), which promotes knowledge and information about nutrition, food, agriculture, forestry and fishery and advises the Government on the formulation of food and agriculture policies;

(b)The World Health Organization (WHO), which supports the national health development process, encourages efforts to achieve the highest attainable standard of health for all and helps to implement the national strategy;

(c)The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), which interacts directly with the Government; it supports the formulation and implementation of public policies and the mobilization of resources from national development partners to fund the activities carried out by the Government and civil society organizations, within the framework of the National Strategic Plan to Combat HIV/AIDS;

(d)UNDP, which has conducted a case study of the country to evaluate the response to HIV/AIDS and also deals with governance, leadership with respect to capacity-building, the inclusion of HIV/AIDS in general development activities, the coordination of partnerships in order to achieve results, capacity-building in the field of human rights and cooperation at the global level;

(e)The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), which is a long-standing partner of Angola and the Angolans, with a specific mandate to support the country in its commitment to ensuring that all children benefit from public policies and strategies on health, education, nutrition and access to drinking water, decent housing, sport and safe spaces for development, that is, their right to grow and enjoy a decent life. Other support provided by UNICEF includes technical assistance;

(f)The Angola National Commission for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), which promotes gender equality in all areas of the UNESCO mandate as a fundamental right and a prerequisite for the creation of a sustainable and peaceful society. It also focuses on the provision of quality basic education for all children, young persons and adults in the context of the “Education for All” movement and education for sustainable development; freedom of expression for persons of all cultures in Angola; and empowerment through the free flow of ideas and access to information and knowledge;

(g)FAO, which deals with the coordination of agriculture-related emergency relief efforts, the stock of agricultural inputs and the production of seeds for staple crops and vegetables;

(h)The Republic of Zambia, which assists with the inclusion of persons with disabilities in community self-help projects and the development of social protection strategies adopted in Southern Africa;

(i)The Fundação Arte e Cultura (Art and Culture Foundation), which is funded by the Embassy of Israel and runs a volunteer project for the creation of cooperation mechanisms in the fields of health and education, involving institutions that house and support persons with physical disabilities.

156.Angola cooperates with the following international non-governmental organizations:

(a)Ajuda de Desenvolvimento de Povo para Povo (People to People Development Assistance, or ADPP), which focuses on food production and teacher training;

(b)Centro Informazione Educazione allo Sviluppo (Development Information and Education Centre, or CIES);

(c)Handicap International, which began working in Angola in 1984 but had to evacuate its staff from the country between 1989 and 1994 because of the armed conflicts. While present in Angola, it set up rehabilitation and prosthesis centres. In 2005, a set of projects were handed over to the centres, which are run under the national programme for the rehabilitation of persons with disabilities. This organization’s activities are currently focused on community-based rehabilitation, integrating persons with disabilities into the world of work and strengthening organizations of persons with disabilities.

157.Others:

(a)The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which focuses on population research and policy measures;

(b)The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Angola, which is involved in population-related activities;

(c)The World Bank, which finances development programmes in various fields;

(d)The Louis Berger consortium, which is supporting a project to help the Government to define and implement a social solidarity and protection policy, through funding for institutional capacity-building.

Article 33National implementation and monitoring

158.Article 33 of the Convention sets out requirements for national implementation and monitoring. In this area, the following ministries serve as points of contact:

(a)The Ministry of Social Assistance and Reintegration, which assists the President of the Republic by managing and coordinating the application of social policy for the most vulnerable population groups, protecting their rights and promoting their development through measures for the implementation of the basic social policies on social reintegration and assistance;

(b)The Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, which assists the President of the Republic by proposing policies for the administration of justice and the promotion, protection and observance of human rights and overseeing their implementation and evaluation;

(c)The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which assists the President of the Republic by implementing and coordinating all aspects of foreign policy.

159.The main coordination mechanism for monitoring the application of the Convention and evaluating the implementation of the relevant multidisciplinary policies, programmes and activities is the National Council for Persons with Disabilities, an advisory and consensus-building body established under Presidential Decree No. 105/12 of 1 June. The Council comprises representatives of 19 ministries, 10 associations of persons with disabilities and 3 religious organizations, who participate in the plenary sessions that are held quarterly and raise their concerns relating to compliance or non-compliance with regulations.

160.There are still many challenges that must be overcome before persons with disabilities are able to fully exercise their rights. In order to address these challenges, the Government is implementing a series of policies, in collaboration with social partners.