Country detail - yourHRC.org

Portugal

Regional group:

Western European & Others Group

Council member:

2006-2007

2007-2008

2008-2009

2009-2010

2010-2011

2011-2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

Council Bureau membership:	–
Coordinator of regional group:	–
Voluntary financial contribution to OHCHR (2024) :

Other HRC positions:	–
OHCHR presence:	– No field presence
NHRI accreditation status:	A

National Mechanisms for Implementation, Reporting, and Follow-up (NMIRF): Standing - Inter-Ministerial

Engagement with the HRC

Principal sponsorship of HRC resolutions

Promotion and protection of human rights and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; Contribution to the implementation of the joint commitment to effectively addressing and countering the world drug problem with regard to human rights; The full enjoyment of human rights by all women and girls and the systematic mainstreaming of a gender perspective into the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development;Education as a tool to prevent racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance; Elimination of discrimination against persons affected by leprosy and their family members; Mental health and human rights; Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; Question of the realization in all countries of economic, social and cultural rights; Youth and human rights; The right to education: follow-up to Human Rights Council resolution 8/4; Question of the realization in all countries of economic, social and cultural rights: follow-up to Human Rights Council resolution 4/1; Human rights in the context of HIV and AIDS; High-level panel discussion on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the Voluntary Technical Assistance Trust Fund to Support the Participation of Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States in the Work of the Human Rights Council; Human rights implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on young people

Voting record

Since it first became a member of the Council in 2015, Portugal has either voted in favour of or has joined consensus on every resolution tabled under item 4 (situations that require the Council’s attention), and country-specific resolutions under item 2. For item 7 resolutions (human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories), Portugal has always voted in favour, except once: a March 2015 resolution on the ‘occupied Syrian Golan.’ For thematic resolutions dealing with civil and political rights, where a vote has been called, Portugal has voted in favour of resolutions dealing with the ‘regulation of firearms,’ and ‘human rights, democracy and rule of law;’ and against a March 2015 resolution tabled by Egypt on the effects of terrorism. It abstained during the vote on Pakistan’s 2015 resolution on drones. For thematic resolutions dealing with economic, social and cultural rights, Portugal has joined consensus on a majority of texts. Where there have been votes on such texts, Portugal has voted against resolutions on: foreign debt (Cuba); and international solidarity (Cuba). It abstained on a 2015 African Group resolution on the repatriation of illicit funds.

HRC participation

During HRC general discussions, panel debates and interactive dialogues with the Special Procedures, during the past three years, either as an HRC member or not, the State has joined:

Regional
group statements

Average of statements for all countries: 78

Subregional
group statements

Average of statements for all countries: 50

417

Political group
statements

Average of statements for all countries: 109

121

Cross-regional
group statements

Average of statements for all countries: 96

Other joint
statements

Average of statements for all countries: 5

HRC member empty chair?

Overall, as a HRC member, has participated in more than 10% of panel discussions, general debates and interactive dialogues.

Cooperation with international human rights system

Special Procedures

Standing invitation

Communications responded to / received

Visits requests status

Completed
Invitation sent by the State not (yet) accepted by the SP
Accepted / date set
Visit request by the SP and not (yet) accepted by the State
Postponed / cancelled

Longest visit request not (yet) accepted by the State >
SR on development, 2017

Treaty Bodies

Ratified

Reporting Status

Ratification status
Party Not Party
Individual complaint procedure accepted.
Reporting status

Submitted on time
Submitted late
Not applicable

On schedule
Overdue (outstanding)

CAT

ICCPR

CED

CEDAW

CERD

ICESCR

CRC

CRPD

Most overdue report

CRPD
3 Years

OP-CAT

Ratified

NPM established

Received Sub-Committee visit

Universal Periodic Review

Reported

(2009, 2014, 2019)

Mid-term report

1st and 2nd cycles

Level of delegation

Minister

Participation in other reviews
1^st cycle: 49 / 192

2^nd cycle: 152 / 192

Cooperation with the UN, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights

Cited in the Secretary General’s reports on 'alleged reprisals for cooperation with the United Nations, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights' (2010-2024)?

Fulfilment of past voluntary pledges & commitments

Specific voluntary pledges: 22

Portugal tabled ‘voluntary pledges and commitments’ in support for its candidacy for membership for the period 2015-2017 on 23 July 2014. The document presents Portugal’s international level and national level commitments and pledges for its membership term.

At the international level, Portugal pledged to: continue to present Council initiatives on economic, social and cultural rights, and the right to education; maintain its Standing Invitation to Special Procedures; cooperate fully with Treaty Bodies; recognise communications procedures under the treaties; actively support and participate in the UPR (its own and the UPR of other states); support the participation of NGOs and NHRIs at the Council; protect the independence of OHCHR and Special Procedures; promote the abolition of the death penalty in all countries; and promote the inclusion of human rights in the post-2015 development agenda.

The document offers a number of commitments related to the implementation of UN human rights obligations and recommendations, including: to develop relevant national action plans; and to make full use of the Portuguese National Human Rights Committee, an inter-ministerial body responsible for coordination and implementation.

At national level, Portugal made commitments to: reinforce cooperation with civil society; improve the protection of the rights of the child; and ensure the integration of a gender perspective into national policies and programmes.

An analysis of steps taken by Portugal in fulfilment of its international pledges shows that it has indeed continued to lead on Council resolutions focused on economic, social and cultural rights, and on the right to education. Portugal has maintained its Standing Invitation, and does cooperate strongly with Special Procedures. It is Party to all core conventions (with no reservations). Regarding UPR, Portugal shows strong commitment vis-à-vis its own review, but has only participated in around 25% of the reviews of other states. Portugal made a voluntary financial contribution to OHCHR in 2017.

Portugal

Western European & Others Group

Engagement with the HRC

Principal sponsorship of HRC resolutions

Voting record

HRC participation

HRC member empty chair?

Cooperation with international human rights system

Special Procedures

Standing invitation

Communications responded to / received

Visits requests status

Treaty Bodies

Ratified

Reporting Status

Universal Periodic Review

Participation in other reviews 1st cycle: 49 / 192

2nd cycle: 152 / 192

Cooperation with the UN, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights

Fulfilment of past voluntary pledges & commitments

Specific voluntary pledges: 22

Participation in other reviews
1^st cycle: 49 / 192

2^nd cycle: 152 / 192