A/HRC/8/43
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the observance of all its regional and international human rights obligations, and it took note of all
comments, observations and recommendations made during the review process. She commented on
the issue of registration of unions, and noted that section 5 of the Industrial and Labour Relations
Act, Chapter 269, of the Laws of Zambia entrenches the fundamental provisions of ILO Convention
No. 89 on freedom of association and protection of the right to organize. Under this provision
workers have the right to belong to a union of their choice without prior authorization or indeed
other legal requirements. As to all 73 tribes in Zambia, the Constitution prohibits discrimination on
any grounds including tribes. In order to improve sanitation and access to safe drinking water,
Zambia has put in place programmes to operationalize water sector policies to promote sustainable
water resource development and ensure equitable provision of adequate quality of water to all users.
Zambia will implement programmes that aim at providing adequate, safe, cost effective water
supply and sanitation services to more people in urban and peri-urban areas, up to 80 per cent of the
population by 2015. In terms of measures to address extreme poverty and its impact on the
enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights by vulnerable groups such as girl children and
those affected by HIV/AIDS, these matters are being addressed under various programme of the
Fifth National Development Plan. With regard to the issue of inadequate number of professional
magistrates, measures in place to address the matter include, sponsoring law graduates to the
Zambia Institute of Advanced Legal Education (ZIALE) for their bar examination to enable them
enter the judiciary as professional magistrates; sponsoring serving lay magistrates to university and
later to ZIALE; and improving conditions of service in order to attract advocates to join the bench.
In terms of juvenile justice, most cases are heard before a magistrate camera and some magistrates
are now specialized in dealing with matters involving juveniles. The Juvenile Act, Chapter 59 of the
Law of Zambia provides protection for children in conflict with the law and creates special
conditions for the treatment of children in conflict with the law. In conclusion, the Permanent
Secretary reiterated Zambia’s commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights and
also its commitment to cooperate with the Universal Periodic Review mechanism both during and
after the review.
II. CONCLUSIONS AND/OR RECOMMENDATIONS
58.
The recommendations formulated during the interactive dialogue have been examined
by the Republic of Zambia and the recommendations listed below enjoy the support of
Zambia:
1.
That further measures be put in place to ensure that the cultural and
traditional beliefs practiced in customary law applied by the Local Courts do
not lead to discrimination against women (United Kingdom);
2.
To strengthen its efforts on gender issues (Algeria);
3.
To systematically and continuously integrate a gender perspective in the followup process to the review (Slovenia);
4.
To take measures to improve the situation of widows and girl orphans,
including by ensuring protection of inheritance through enforcement of
legislative provisions (Canada);
5.
To train in human rights judges working in the local courts, administering
Zambian customary law, in particular, in respect to the human rights of women
and children and a gender perspective and to promote a flexible and effective
system of reviewing sentences, so as to guarantee the due process of law
(Mexico);
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