UPR Sexual Rights Database

National Report:
Para 133) It should be highlighted that these legal measures have been consolidated in the new Criminal Code, which has numerous articles aimed at protecting the rights of children, as set out in international standards, in particular the following: ...
(m) Article 175 on sexual abuse of children;
(n) Article 176 on sexual abuse of adolescents;
(o) Article 177 on sexual acts with adolescents;
(p) Article 178 on homosexual acts with adolescents;
(q) Article 179 on prostitution of minors;
(r) Article 180 on child pornography;

Para 137) The exploitation, sexual violence and prostitution of children are social phenomena which are becoming increasingly important globally and Sao Tome is not exempt. Internal measures have thus been implemented to prevent and combat the development of these phenomena. The measures involve numerous public and private organizations, such as INPG, the Support Centre for Domestic Violence, education centres, social communication and the Association of Women Jurists, in national awareness-raising campaigns to prevent and combat exploitation, sexual violence and child prostitution.

UN Compilation:
Para 13) The CRC welcomed the revision by Sao Tome and Principe of its Penal Code in 2012 to explicitly include provisions on sexual abuse, exploitation of minors and child trafficking ...

National Report:
Para 11) It has also ratified the OP-CRC-SC, …

Stakeholder Summary:
Para 18) Just Atonement Inc … regretted that Sao Tome and Principe had not ratified the OP-CRC-SC.

National Report:
Para 39) ... It is should be mentioned that new child protection laws have been passed in which a child is defined as "anyone under 18 years of age", as made clear in the report.

Para 57) The Children's Act defines a child as "anyone under 18 years of age" ... The Act was approved by the Cabinet on 24 December 2012.

Para 64) The Ministry of Social Affairs is currently preparing an implementing regulation on the procedural mechanisms for application of the Child Protection Act. This Act complements the draft law on protection from abuse, which prohibits all forms of abuse against all of the groups most vulnerable to violence, particularly women and children, and establishes national mechanisms for protecting these groups. Expectations are that the draft law will be passed in the near future. The Ministry has also undertaken the following:
- Signed memoranda of cooperation with a number of civil society organizations and charitable societies for the provision of sheltered accommodation for groups at risk of violence;
- Signed a memorandum of cooperation with King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology for the implementation of a national strategy to combat domestic violence and deliver awareness programmes;
- Set up a call centre for receiving reports of violence against women, which is reached by dialling 1919;
- Implemented Cabinet Decision No. 366 of December 2008, which prescribes measures for curbing the problem of domestic violence, including the accelerated opening of social protection units throughout the Kingdom.

Para 67) Working in cooperation with the Family Safety Programme, the Ministry of Education established procedural mechanisms for identifying and reporting cases of violence in schools, through the child helpline, and appointed its own coordinators for the provinces and governorates. Programmes were also launched to raise awareness of children's rights. These included programmes for ... giving voice to girl students.

UN Compilation:
Para 47) A 2013 United Nations Statistics Division source indicated that employment-to- population ratio of women decreased from 15.3 per cent in 2008 to 14.6 per cent in 2009.

Para 55) The 2010 Millennium Development Goals (MDG) report indicated that, despite the relatively late start in education of girls, rates of enrolment of girls' at all educational levels had increased sharply.

Para 56) ... UNESCO noted that a number of positive developments had resulted in significant improvements in women's literacy rates within a relatively short period of time. However, concerns had been raised that the overall aim of girls' education which was to prepare them for their "roles" as mothers and wives has not changed over the past 40 years.

Para 58) A 2013 UNSD source indicated that the net enrolment ratio in primary education for girls increased from 86.1 per cent in 2008 to 89.4 in 2009.

Stakeholder Summary:
Para 20) ... AI, JS1, ECLJ and HRW noted that no effective legal and practical measures have been put in place to criminalize violence against women. HRW stated the government failed to enact the 2011 draft law to combat violence against women and children.

Para 34) ... JS4 noted that no effective mechanism to prevent domestic violence has been implemented and the Protection from Harm Act has not been enacted.

Para 61) JS4, JS1, ECLJ and HRW noted that although recommendations 17, 18, 19 and 20 had been accepted during the 2009 UPR, little has been done to genuinely implement them. JS1 noted the positive step with the two royal decrees in 2013 amending the Consultative Council's law, granting women thirty seats on the Council and stipulating at least 20% women's representation at the Council and recommended an increase in access to decision-making positions, in all public positions.

Para 62) HRW noted the adoption of legislative reforms expanding women's rights in the workforce by allowing them to work in limited areas such as clothing stores. While such reforms represent important steps forward, their efficacy is limited by the male guardianship system.