Luanda - The Ombudswoman, Florbela Araújo, reaffirmed Friday in Luanda the need to revise the Statute of the Ombudsperson's Office to make it a national human rights institution.
Speaking to journalists at the end of a meeting with the chairperson of the African Union Committee of Experts on Human Rights and Child Welfare, Wilson Adão, she said that the "Paris Statute" is the basis that stipulates that the Ombudsman should also be an institution for the defence of human rights.
The ombudswoman regretted that the proposal to change the institution's statutes had been rejected by the National Assembly.
She added that the Ombudsman's Office already has its own budget, and only needs a law to become a human rights institution.
She promised to continue to fight for the approval of legislation in the National Assembly in order to become a national human rights institution and gain the credibility demanded by the "Paris Statute".
Florbela Araújo said that the situation limits the possibility of accepting the invitation to become a member, as a human rights institution, of the African Union's Human Rights and Welfare Committee.
She pointed out that the main challenges are the ongoing fight to protect the rights and guarantees of children, with the collaboration of schools, hospitals, crèches and police and judicial authorities, as well as women and the elderly.
According to the ombudswoman, "any country can only develop if it protects its children, because they are the future of the nation".
She wanted Angola to be free of violations of children's rights and to see the 11 commitments in favour of minors fulfilled. JFS/VIC/DAN/DOJ
