The Government of Guinea-Bissau, in cooperation with UNIOGBIS, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and civil society organizations, have been promoting “15 days of activism for Human Rights” in Guinea-Bissau which includes an official celebration of the International Human Rights Day on 10 December at 9:30 at the Government Palace in Bissau.

The anniversary comes at a particularly special occasion, to coincide with the celebrations of the 50th Anniversary of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, that associated with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, International form the International Bill of Human Rights.

The celebrations, which began on the 27th of November, with a training on Human Rights for secondary school teachers in Bafatá, continued last week in Bissau, with a conference at the Bissau Law Faculty, under the theme "50 Years of the International Covenants on Human Rights (ICCPR and ICESCR), followed a march on 5 december, organized by the National Commission for Human Rights, from the old police station in Belém neighborhood to Boé Hills Palace. On Monday, December 7, there was distribution of cleaning kits at the detention center of Judicial police and POP Bissau.

International Human Rights Day celebrations continue with a lecture on the 8 December, in Rui Barcelos Cunha high school, on the content and meaning of the two International Covenants on Human Rights, training on 7 and 9 for Civil Society in Oio region (north), and training for health professionals, in partnership with Ministry of Health, WHO, UNICEF, UN Women. The distribution of cleaning kits continues in Sector Hospital Buba and in the detention Centre on the 10th. On the same day there will be marches in Bissau and Gabu, organized by the National Commission on Human Rights and UNIOGBIS and a cultural activity in Bafata, by UNIOGBIS.

Music will also be part of the celebrations with a concert in Bissau on 11 December with songs about human rights and another concert with children singing on human rights on 12 December, with the participation of several schools.

The armed forces were not forgotten in this “15 days of activism” and from the 14 to the 18 they will receive training for trainers on human rights at the national school for administration. Finally, also on the 18 December there will be a film screening on human rights at the French Cultural Centre in Bissau

UNIOGBIS / PIU