CAT/C/ATG/CO/1
representative of the State party responded that she was not authorized to give such a
commitment.
3.
On 24 and 25 July 2017, the State party, without notice, did not attend the dialogue
with the Committee. The Committee takes note of the written replies to some of its
questions and concerns that it received from the State party on 7 August, the day on which
the concluding observations on the implementation of the Convention in Antigua and
Barbuda were considered.
4.
The Committee regrets that the State party has failed to meet its reporting
obligations under article 19 of the Convention for 23 years, which precluded the Committee
from assessing the implementation of the Convention by the State party on the basis of the
Government’s report.
5.
Notwithstanding the commitments made by the State party during the 2016
universal periodic review of the Human Rights Council to seek technical assistance from
the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in meeting its
international human rights obligations (see A/HRC/33/13, para. 76), the Committee regrets
that the State party has not sought such assistance.
B.
Positive aspects
6.
The Committee welcomes the ratification of or accession to the following
international instruments by the State party since its accession to the Convention:
(a)
The Convention on the Rights of the Child, on 5 October 1993;
(b)
The Convention relating to the Status of Refugees of 1951 and the Protocol
thereto of 1967, on 7 September 1995;
(c)
The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, on 18 June 2001;
(d)
The Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the
sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, on 30 April 2002;
(e)
The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, on 7 January
2016.
7.
The Committee also welcomes in particular the following legislative measures taken
by the State party to give effect to the Convention:
(a)
The Suppression of Torture Act, No. 15 of 1993;
(b)
The Migrant Smuggling (Prevention) (Amendment) Act, No. 12 of 2015,
which amends the Migrant Smuggling (Prevention) Act, No. 11 of 2010;
(c)
The Trafficking in Persons (Prevention) (Amendment) Act, No. 13 of 2015,
which amends the Trafficking in Persons (Prevention) Act, No. 12 of 2010;
(d)
The Child Justice Act, No. 23 of 2015;
(e)
The Children (Care and Adoption) Act, No. 24 of 2015;
(f)
The Domestic Violence Act, No. 27 of 2015.
8.
The Committee notes the following initiatives taken by the State party to amend its
policies and procedures to afford greater protection of human rights and to apply the
Convention in particular:
(a)
The adoption of a national action plan to end gender-based violence (2013-
2018);
(b)
The development of a national action plan on the prevention of trafficking in
persons (2016-2018);
(c)
2
The establishment in 2008 of the Sexual Offences Unit in the police force;