ANGOLA SHOWS PROGRESS IN HUMAN RIGHTS

 Angola has in recent years seen progress in international human rights assessment, the Minister of Justice and Human Rights, Francisco Queiroz said Thursday in Luanda.

Speaking on 10 December, International Human Rights Day, the government official noted that Angola had improved for the third straight year in the annual index on Freedom of the Press, drawn up by international organisation Reporter Without Borders, and had risen three places in the world ranking.

Angola, he said, had also made notable progress in combating human trafficking which, according to a report from the US Department of State, had improved its

its performance, moving from level 2W of perception to level 2, as well as rising 19 places in the ranking of corruption and international transparency.

He noted that the Mo Ibrahim report, published in November 2020, Angola had made progress, showing signs of increasing progress.

On the business environment, Francisco Queiroz highlighted the continuous effort to improve the country's perception of the World Bank (WB) Doing Business indicator.

According to the Government minister, progress has been possible due to the new political environment adopted by the country since 2017, which has allowed Human Rights to take its rightful place in the Government's public policy framework.

Despite the progress already achieved, he acknowledged that the country still faces challenges in achieving economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to health, education and access to land or housing, especially in rural areas.

He also admitted a certain weakness in the field of civil and political rights, but highlighted the Government's effort to guarantee the right to freedom of expression, information or peaceful demonstration.

The world celebrates the 72nd anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, proclaimed on 10 December 1948 by the General Assembly of the United Nations (UN), three years after the end of the second world war, with the aim of promoting world peace and preserve humanity.