Ombudsperson in Bissau to prepare presentation of the CPLP Human Rights Network to GANHRI

In her capacity as interim president of the CPLP Human Rights Network, the Ombudsperson, Maria Lúcia Amaral, traveled to Bissau on February 19 and 20, where she held a series of institutional meetings with the aim of strengthening bilateral cooperation and preparing the presentation and consolidation of the Network at international level, with the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI).

In this context, the Ombudsperson met with the president of the National Human Rights Commission and the highest Guinean authorities such as the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister and government representatives responsible for foreign affairs, justice and human rights, as well as various civil society organizations and multilateral partners such as the European Union and the United Nations.

Also during the visit, Maria Lúcia Amaral gave an open lecture at the Faculty of Law in Bissau, on the theme “The Ombudsman: what does he do?”, addressing the role and functions of the institution, followed by a well-attended debate with undergraduate students.

The CPLP Human Rights Network is an informal platform for cooperation between ombudsmen and national human rights institutions in the member countries of the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP), promoting the exchange of good practices and strengthening the role of the ombudsman.

Founded on May 28, 2013, in Lisbon, the Network is made up of the Ombudsmen of Portugal, Angola, Mozambique and East Timor, the National Human Rights Commissions of Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau and Mozambique, the Federal Prosecutor for Citizen’s Rights of Brazil, and, since 2015, the Ombudsman of Cape Verde. The Interministerial Human Rights Commission of São Tomé and Príncipe is part of the Network as an observer.

Scheduled for March, on the occasion of GANHRI’s Annual Assembly and Conference in Geneva, the presentation of the Network and its members to GANHRI will represent an important milestone for its consolidation and global recognition, expanding its capacity to act in defense of human rights in CPLP countries.

For more information on the CPLP Human Rights Network, you can also access the official page on the CPLP portal.