Human rights in Portugal

[2] The country's minister of Justice as of September 2018, Francisca Van Dunem, said that Portugal has had "a good track record" on human rights but violations still do persist.

[13] Signing and ratifying the convention and the optional protocols has caused an increase in resources allocated to improving the rights of children in Portugal.

[15] Although these measures are in place, a draft law on the creation of a national strategy which would protect children against sexual exploitation and abuse was submitted to the assembly but not adopted Until 1982 homosexuality was a crime.

With this bill they also banned the unnecessary surgery on intersex infants which can cause life-long pain, health complications and loss of sexual sensation.

[25] Then twenty years later the Council of Ministers integrated a gender perspective at all policy levels and since then several national plans for equality have been issued.

[30] Portugal currently has in force The Asylum Act 27/2008 which is legislation that is considered in line with international and European Union standards.

[32] Recently in 2018 Portugal's Prime Minister Antonio Costa made a statement, “We need more immigration and we won’t tolerate any xenophobic rhetoric”.

[33] Portugal is part of a voluntary programme which began in January 2018 by the European Commission which aims to resettle 50,000 refugees over the next two years.

[31] In 2012 UNHCR witnessed overcrowding at the existing reception facility and problems becoming worsened by the suspension of Social Security services.

[34] In this report it observed that there is a lack of social housing or rent supplement programmes which causes mostly the Roma or people of African descent to stay in informal settlements.

[34] The report acknowledges that there is a current economic crisis within Portugal but states that the Roma and people of African descent have significantly inadequate housing solutions and that this issue needs to be combatted.

[35] In 2016 the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture during its periodic visit to Portugal also raised concerns at the ill-treatment during police custody from a number of credible allegations.

[36] This alleged ill-treatment was largely aimed at prisoners of African descent and foreign nationals and consisted of kicks to the body and head, slaps, punches as well as beatings with batons.

[36] The Committee for the Prevention of Torture urged the Portuguese government to address this issue as well as the overcrowding within the prisons which was resulting in appalling living conditions.

[37] The SPT after the visit urged the Portuguese government to establish a National Preventive Mechanism which is an independent monitoring body.