A/HRC/13/56
recommendation to take further measures to provide police, prison and judicial staff with
human rights training, with a focus on the protection of rights of women, children, ethnic or
national minorities, and persons of minority sexual orientation or gender identity, and to
strengthen the accountability of such personnel for their conduct, particularly when dealing
with cases of hate crimes. It also commended Portugal for accepting the recommendation to
continue efforts to raise public awareness on human rights and to effectively combat
racism, racial discrimination and intolerance, recommending explicit inclusion of gender
identity as a ground in anti-discrimination legislation. It recognized the positive steps taken
to counter discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, and
encouraged Portugal to share best practices in this field and to consider applying the
Yogyakarta Principles as a guide to assist in policy development.
4.
Concluding remarks of the State under review
550. Portugal had embraced the universal periodic review as an opportunity to take stock
of its accomplishments and the challenges that lay ahead. Portugal regarded the review as a
valuable road map to keep improving human rights, nationally and internationally. Its
preparation allowed for the identification of areas where progress had been accomplished
and others where improvement could still be achieved, thus representing an added value in
identification of current and future priorities in the field of human rights at the national
level.
Bhutan
551. The review of Bhutan was held on 4 December 2009 in conformity with all the
relevant provisions contained in Council resolution 5/1, and was based on the following
documents:
(a)
The national report submitted by Bhutan in accordance with the annex to
Council resolution 5/1, paragraph 15 (a) (A/HRC/WG.6/6/BTN/1);
(b)
The compilation prepared by OHCHR in accordance with paragraph 15 (b)
(A/HRC/WG.6/6/BTN/2);
(c)
The summary prepared by OHCHR in accordance with paragraph 15 (c)
(A/HRC/WG.6/6/BTN/3).
552. At its 31st meeting, on 18 March 2010, the Council considered and adopted the
outcome of the review on Bhutan (see section C below).
553. The outcome of the review on Bhutan comprises the report of the Working Group on
the Universal Periodic Review (A/HRC/13/11), the views of Bhutan concerning the
recommendations and/or conclusions, and its voluntary commitments and replies presented
before the adoption of the outcome by the plenary to questions or issues that were not
sufficiently addressed during the interactive dialogue in the Working Group (see also
A/HRC/13/11/Add.1 and A/HRC/13/11/Add.1/Corr.1).
1.
Views expressed by the State under review on the recommendations and/or conclusions, as
well as on its voluntary commitments and on the outcome
554. The head of the delegation, Ambassador Yeshey Dorji, Permanent Representative of
Bhutan to the United Nations in Geneva, stated that Bhutan, along with other States,
recognized the universal periodic review mechanism as an excellent opportunity to
undertake a review of the human rights situations on the ground in all countries, in a
constructive and cooperative spirit, guided by the principles of universality and nonselectivity. Bhutan thus considered the review a productive and rewarding experience. It
underlined the inclusive approach that it had taken in drafting its national report, noting its
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