A/HRC/28/5
17.
The fight against poverty and social exclusion were priorities for the Administration.
Since 2009 the Government had established various programmes and measures that were
part of the universal social protection system. In that regard, the Legislative Assembly had
adopted, in April 2014, the Law on Social Protection and Development which established
the right of the whole population to receive a minimum of social public services.
18.
In 2010, El Salvador had launched a reform of the national health system, based on
community family health teams, which guaranteed the right to health using a strategy of
providing comprehensive primary health care and which worked directly with families and
communities. The Government had also worked to raise awareness of the importance of
vaccinating children and the whole family.
19.
In March 2012, the Legislative Assembly passed a law on medicines, aimed at
ensuring the availability, registration, quality and safety of medicines, promoting fair prices
for medicines and their rational use as well.
20.
The delegation also pointed out that El Salvador had already reached the Millennium
Development Goal 5 target related to the reduction in maternal mortality.
21.
In relation to people with HIV/AIDS, there was a proposed law for a comprehensive
response to HIV/AIDS which, it is intended, will establish an approach that goes beyond
the consideration of that epidemic as a health problem and contribute to the elimination of
discrimination and stigmatization.
22.
On the other hand, El Salvador was committed to protecting the rights of
Salvadorans who had migrated. In that sense the delegation considered as a great
achievement the adoption, in 2011, of the Special Law on the Protection and Development
of Salvadoran Migrants and Their Families. Also, in that context, the Government had
strengthened, as a priority, the consular network since 2009. The delegation informed the
Working Group that, more importantly, in the 2014 elections Salvadorans abroad were able
to vote for the first time.
23.
The delegation pointed out that, in June 2014, the migration flow of unaccompanied
children and adolescents toward the United States of America had dramatically increased,
because of false expectations generated by human traffickers, the longing for family
reunification and the lack of opportunities and insecurity in El Salvador. That outflow was
rated internationally as a humanitarian crisis.
24.
El Salvador had sought to coordinate efforts to cope with that international
humanitarian crisis with the countries of the northern triangle of Central America. And in
July 2014 the Government had launched an awareness campaign and information about the
risks that unaccompanied children faced when undertaking such a dangerous journey, under
the slogan “Do not put their lives at risk”. The campaign materials were being distributed
and discussed in all schools in the country.
25.
The Administration had also signed the Special Declaration on the situation of
Central American unaccompanied migrant boys, girls and adolescents to the United States
and, within the framework of the Organization of American States, El Salvador had
sponsored, along with Guatemala and Honduras, the adoption of a declaration on Central
American unaccompanied migrant children.
26.
Public security and peaceful coexistence required the joint efforts of the Government
and the participation of different actors and sectors of society. For that purpose, the
Administration had established, in September 2014, the National Council for Citizen
Security and Coexistence, composed of local governments, the business sector, people with
experience in the field, political parties, the media and the church, in order to promote
dialogue and agreements that would develop into sustainable public policies on the issue.
5
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