04 December 2014 - A three-day training on Amnesty, Human Rights and Gender today opened at the Parliament with the support of UNIOGBIS.

The first vice-president of Parliament, Inacio Correia, hosted the opening ceremony, followed by Chief Human Rights Section of UNIOGBIS, Guadalupe Sousa Reis - on behalf of DSRSG Maria do Valle Ribeiro - who delivered a keynote speech.

"During the coming three days, you will be discussing a range of human rights issues which could transform Bissau-Guinean society. Through your legislative, oversight and budgetary functions, you have the power to make the protection and promotion of human rights a central pillar of your mandate. Put simply, the future of this country is in your hands", she stated.

"Already, great steps have been taken. Previous Parliaments have ratified the vast majority of core international human rights instruments, which will facilitate the government in its ongoing endeavours to respect, protect, promote and fulfil the rights of all people in Guinea-Bissau. I encourage you, Members of this new the Parliament, to ratify as soon as possible the remaining international human rights conventions and optional protocols", added Madam Guadalupe Sousa Reis.

(...)"Finalization of the ratifications will be a significant achievement for Guinea-Bissau, elevating this great nation's status within the international community of states as one of the few countries to have ratified every international human rights instrument and so expressing an obligation to make human rights a reality for all Bissau-Guineans.

"The Parliament has a great role to play in this process, through harmonizing domestic law with international legal standards, both through revising existing national laws and creating new ones where necessary", she said.

(...)"You will face many important decisions during your term in office. I encourage you to place human rights at the centre of these and reaffirm the United Nations' readiness to support you to the extent possible within our mandate", concluded.