A/HRC/22/4
adoption. The Gender Identity Act guaranteed that every citizen could change his/her name,
photo and sex in his/her identity documents.
18.
Regarding immigration policy, the regulation of the Immigration Act of 2010
recognized the principles of family reunification and the contribution of migrants to the
enrichment and strengthening of the cultural and social fabric of Argentina.
19.
On the issue of health, there was also progress to report to the Council. Argentina
had regulated health provision by private actors and had created the Compulsory Medical
Program, which established mandatory benefits that private operators
could not
circumvent. Likewise, the new mental health law guaranteed the rights recognized in
various international instruments and provided a framework for public policy in this area,
with the patient’s integration into the community. In the field of bioethics, the "death with
dignity" law, adopted in 2012, allowed refusing the artificial extension of life.
20.
With regard to indigenous peoples, legislation had been adopted, including Act
26,637, which called for indigenous participation in the drafting of a bill on community
property, established the Office of Indigenous Rights, and which granted powers to the
State to order the return of human remains to their communities. With regard to indigenous
lands, while continuing to expand the application of law 26,160, an emergency Law on the
Ownership of Land was adopted in December 2011. This legislation establishes that land
was not a commercial good but a strategic and non-renewable resource which should be
preserved. Likewise, there was an initiative to incorporate a new title in the chapter of
property rights of the draft unified Civil and Commercial Code recognizing the indigenous
community as the sole subject having right to communal indigenous property.
21.
The delegation acknowledged that, despite many achievements, there were still
concerns regarding human rights, such as the situation of detainees. The process of aligning
legislation with international human rights standards was not over. Argentina was working
on the establishment and implementation of methods and tools that respect the rights of
persons deprived of liberty, in dialogue with civil society.
22.
The State hoped to promptly inform the Council about the adoption of the national
mechanism for the prevention of torture, which had been approved by one chamber of
Congress. Argentina had promoted that its provinces also establish their own mechanisms
of prevention. The provinces of Chaco, Rio Negro, Tucuman and Mendoza passed
legislation creating mechanisms to prevent torture; while bills were under consideration in
the provinces of La Pampa, Buenos Aires, Santa Fe and Neuquen.
B.
Interactive dialogue and responses by the State under review
23.
During the interactive dialogue, 57 delegations made statements. Recommendations
made during the dialogue are to be found in section II of the present report.
24.
Cuba welcomed advances in implementing the UPR recommendations of 2008 and
positive changes in the normative framework. It noted advances in combating
discrimination and gender violence, as well as measures to guarantee the right to food and
universal social security and health coverage. Argentina reached the highest level of
employment in its history and increased the education budget. Cuba made
recommendations.
25.
Belgium welcomed Argentina’s ratification of the Second Optional Protocol to the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR-OP2) and efforts to promote
transitional justice mechanisms. While noting positive human rights developments,
Belgium was concerned at the lack of a public information law and of an independent body
to consider information requests; and widespread trafficking in persons, particularly
5
Select target paragraph3
Connect to a paragraph
Connect to an entity
Disable highlights
Add to table of contents