Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Commends El Salvador’s Progress in Education, Questions Measures Promoting the Use of Bitcoin
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights today concluded its consideration of the sixth periodic report of El Salvador, with Committee Experts commending the State’s progress on strengthening its education system, and raising issues relating to measures promoting the use of Bitcoin.
A Committee Expert noted significant progress in education, with lowered illiteracy rates and more children staying in school longer. What was the budget for education? Could the delegation provide information on support for preschool education, which played a key role in reducing inequality and gender gaps in the workforce?
Mikel Mancisidor, Committee Expert and country rapporteur, raised the issue of investment in Bitcoin by the State, and the introduction of an official Bitcoin exchange. Bitcoin was an unstable currency with a lack of transparency. How did the State ensure that the Bitcoin exchange was not used to hide corruption?
Adriana Mira, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of El Salvador, and head of the delegation, introducing the report, said President Nayib Bukele had recently launched an educational reform project called "My New School" that sought to transform the quality of education. That worked in conjunction with the "Growing Together” law, which sought to secure access to quality education for future generations. 16,000 early childhood teachers were currently being trained as part of the project.
Responding to questions, the delegation added that the State was investing in enhancing educational infrastructure, including classrooms and hygiene facilities. In 2021, higher education in El Salvador was made free, benefiting 61,000 students.
On Bitcoin, the delegation said that a new law regulated the use of Bitcoin as legal tender in the country. The law had attracted investment and created employment. Bitcoin helped to guarantee financial inclusion and promoted technological development. El Salvador aimed to strengthen links with financial markets and investors through measures such as that. The use of Bitcoin was regulated under the money-laundering law.
In concluding remarks, Ms. Mira said that El Salvador’s goal was to ensure the human rights of its people. The State was writing a new history through measures to improve the standing of its people. The Government had strategies to enhance food security, improve education and health services, and ensure access to decent work. The Committee’s concluding observations would help the State party to advance in upholding the provisions of the Covenant.
Mr. Mancisidor, in his concluding remarks, thanked the high-level delegation for the dialogue, which had covered a range of issues. The Committee would produce recommendations based on the dialogue that would aim to improve the well-being of the people of El Salvador. Mr. Mancisidor called on the State party to share those recommendations widely and to implement them fully.
The delegation of El Salvador was comprised of representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Ministry of Education; Cabinet of Governmental Operations; Ministry of Local Development; Ministry of Health and Development; Judicial Secretariat of the Presidency; Salvadoran Institute for the Development of Women; Ministry of Economy; Ministry of Finance; Department of International Human Rights Cases; Ministry of Justice and Public Security; and the Permanent Mission of El Salvador to the United Nations Office at Geneva.
All the documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, can be found on the session’s webpage. Webcasts of the meetings of the session can be found here, and meetings summaries can be found here .
The Committee will next meet in public at 3 p.m., Thursday 29 September to begin its consideration of the sixth periodic report of Italy (E/C.12/ITA/6).
Report
The Committee has before it the sixth periodic report of El Salvador (E/C.12/SLV/6).
Presentation of Report
ADRIANA MIRA, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of El Salvador and head of the delegation, said El Salvador was working arduously to enhance the capacities of persons in conditions of greatest vulnerability, generate opportunities for them and promote their development and integration into political, economic and social life. The Government was aware that there were historical debts that had yet to be addressed. It was working to comply with its international commitments and promote education, citizen security, early childhood, health and access to essential services.
President Nayib Bukele had recently launched an educational reform project called "My New School" that sought to transform the quality of education. That worked in conjunction with the "Growing Together” law, which sought to secure access to quality education for future generations. More than 200,000 public officials would be trained on the purpose, scope and vision of the law. 16,000 early childhood teachers were also currently being trained as part of the project. The "Born with Love” law also aimed to protect the rights of women through pregnancy and childbirth, and the rights of new-born children. Further, the early childhood policy "Growing Together" aimed to guarantee children up to eight years old access to health, nutrition, education and care, and to protect their rights. Another new law sought to promote breastfeeding and maternal care. Many of the challenges the Government faced were the result of little attention having been given in the past to children and adolescents. That was why the Government was now committed to supporting their development.
To combat global inflation and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government was implementing a series of economic anti-inflation measures. Import taxes had been subsidised, and the prices of propane gas, gasoline and energy had been fixed. El Salvador now had one of the lowest inflation rates in Latin America. The Government had provided economic support for the most vulnerable population during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as measures for the reactivation of the post-pandemic economy. It had guaranteed free, voluntary access to vaccines for the Salvadoran and foreign resident population, and had also donated vaccines to neighbouring countries.
The Government had also launched an ambitious economic recovery plan focusing on small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as measures to boost aggregate demand through public investment. Measures were also implemented to guarantee the availability of food and prevent price increases. A sustainable food system had been developed to increase the efficiency of food resources management. The general law on water resources had established water as a national asset for public use and recognised various principles such as the protection and conservation of water resources.
The President and all Government institutions were committed to not only ensuring the effective implementation of the Covenant but also to ensuring the full enjoyment of all human rights by the population of El Salvador.
Questions by Committee Experts
MIKEL MANCISIDOR, Committee Expert and country rapporteur, said that the purpose of the dialogue was to make progress toward the shared goal of promoting economic, social and cultural rights. The Committee would ask poignant questions, but not attack the delegation. Mr. Mancisidor welcomed that different Government institutions had participated in drafting the periodic report. Had non-governmental organizations, academia and other members of civil society participated?
Had El Salvador now implemented its seventh State of Emergency? 50,000 so-called terrorists had been arrested under laws implemented under the State of Emergency. Why were those persons classified as terrorists? What safeguards were in place for human rights defenders and journalists?
It was noteworthy that there was legislation guaranteeing the independence of the judiciary. However, the dismissal of judges was a grave concern. The President intended to present himself as a candidate in the upcoming election, but the Constitution explicitly prohibited him from doing so. Mr. Mancisidor called for access to information and transparency to be further promoted.
Mr. Mancisidor raised the issue of investment in Bitcoin by the State, and the introduction of an official Bitcoin exchange. Bitcoin was an unstable currency with a lack of transparency. How did the State ensure that the Bitcoin exchange was not used to hide corruption?
Did El Salvador have standards and laws that guaranteed equality between men and women? How were stereotypes combatted? The Diversity Directorate which protected lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex rights had been closed down. What measures were in place to protect the rights of such persons? What measures were in place to ensure the consent of indigenous peoples to development projects? Did the State intend to ratify International Labour Organization Convention 169 on Indigenous and Tribal Peoples?
The Prosecutor’s Office had suffered from problems linked to its lack of independence. Was the State taking measures to ensure its independence and access to adequate resources? Prison capacity was reportedly at 200 per cent. What measures were in place to deal with that? What human rights training was provided to civil servants?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said that a number of false accusations had been made. In 2019, when President Bukele entered office, the population was far removed from policy-making. Two former Presidents had been arrested for corruption. The current Government was working in a transparent manner in full respect of the law.
The various branches of Government were independent, and members of the judiciary were elected transparently. The 2019–2024 National Development Plan guided the actions of all Government institutions. That plan had measurable goals that were backed with appropriate budgets and legislation. It included measures for the reduction of poverty and inequality; reduction of malnutrition; support for early childhood development; promotion of digital literacy and increased access to digital technology in schools; reduction of mortality through improved birth and prenatal care; reduction of gender inequality; recovery and preservation of cultural heritage; promotion of citizen security; and reduction of irregular migration. The Government was encouraging its citizens to remain in the country, and supported migrants who returned to the country.
97 per cent of individuals and business owners approved of the State of Emergency, which aimed to protect the population from gangs that frequently attacked them. Gangs had violated children’s right to education through those attacks. Gangs also frequently attacked civil servants. In three days in 2019, 92 individuals had been murdered by gangs. In 2015, the Constitutional Chamber had defined gang members, leaders and supporters as terrorists. The United States State Department had also labelled members of certain gangs as terrorists. In response to those attacks, legislative decree 333 had been released, under which Constitutional protections could be suspended for a 30-day period in situations that threatened State security. After that legislative decree was implemented, murders had not been committed for 77 days. The State’s use of force was regulated. Extensions of States of Emergency were reflections of the level of success of the measure. The right to freedom of peaceful assembly was protected by the Government.
The Legislative Assembly could call for the dismissal of judges who abused their authority. In 2021, five judges had made excessive interpretations of the Constitution, jeopardised the constitutionality of the State and violated the constitutional rights of the population, and thus had been dismissed.
The situation of persons deprived of their liberty in prisons had been improving, despite the increasing prison population. Vocational education programmes were provided in prisons. Prisons had been investigated by international organizations such as the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the State had worked to implement all recommendations from those organizations. The State would continue to work to provide better conditions for people deprived of liberty.
More than 90 per cent of the population supported the President. His re-election would not be a violation of the Constitution. Article 152 of the Constitution allowed previous Presidents to run for re-election at the end of their terms. The Salvadoran people would decide on their next President at the ballot box.
The Bitcoin law regulated the use of Bitcoin as legal tender in the country. The United States dollar remained the major legal currency in the State, however that law allowed for the use of Bitcoin. The law had attracted investment and created employment. Bitcoin helped to guarantee financial inclusion and promoted technological development. El Salvador aimed to strengthen links with financial markets and investors through measures such as that. The use of Bitcoin was regulated under the money-laundering law.
Questions by Committee Experts
A Committee Expert expressed concern regarding the dismissal of five members of the judiciary in 2021, dismissals which had occurred because of those judges’ interpretation of the Constitution. Judges should not be removed from their posts unless they had failed to fulfil their duties or broken the law. All judges to be removed should be guaranteed due process. The change in the interpretation of the Constitution allowing the President to run for re-election was another example indicating the lack of independence of the judiciary.
What institution was tracking the murder rate? The transparency of information was key to ensuring the rule of law. How did the State guarantee the permanence and independence of the judiciary? How did the State guarantee information transparency, having dissolved the national bureau of statistics?
MIKEL MANCISIDOR, Committee Expert and country rapporteur, said that he was concerned that detainees were automatically classified as terrorists. That led to a lack of due process guarantees for detainees.
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the President and members of the Legislative Assembly were elected. El Salvador involved all State agencies in drafting periodic reports for treaty bodies. The delegation called on the Committee to change its working methods and ask one question at a time.
Treaties, once ratified, became law in El Salvador. If there was a contradiction with domestic legislation, the international treaty prevailed. International treaties had been incorporated into the jurisdiction of constitutional courts. The treaties not yet ratified were historical debts from previous administrations. This year, the State had ratified four International Labour Organization conventions.
The responsibility for collecting statistics had been transferred to the Central Reserve Bank, which would conduct the next census. The former statistics authority had not carried out a census since 2007. That change of structure did not mean a change in purpose or objective. The Central Reserve Bank had expertise in collecting statistics and was semi-autonomous.
The right to association and assembly had not been eliminated under the State of Emergency. There was no internationally binding definition of “terrorism.” The United Nations defined terrorism as “one of the gravest threats to peace.” The Mara gangs presented grave threats to peace, and as such, the State had the right to respond strongly to their acts.
Civil society did not put the reality of El Salvador into context in their reports. Mara members had on one occasion burned a bus and shot any person who tried to leave it. Mara gangs were responsible for mass murder and rape, and in some regions, police could not carry out their duties safely. The United Nations Security Council had defined “terrorism” as an act to sow terror throughout the country. The Constitutional courts had drawn equivalence between acts of the Maras and terrorism. Every person in El Salvador enjoyed the right to due process. That had led to a backlog of cases, but the State was working to tackle it.
El Salvador had been a trailblazer in separating powers and in the transparency of the judiciary. Judges had full legal independence. However, State organs were created with the purpose of serving the interests of the people. The judges who had been removed had issued rulings that flew in the face of Constitutional guarantees, for the sake of personal interests. To avoid abuses of power, the legislature oversaw the functioning of elected officials on the basis of objective criteria. Those dismissals were legal and correct.
All persons had the right to economic and social development. The alleged prohibition on re-election was based on a 2013 interpretation of the Constitutional Court. That interpretation was valid at the time, but was not fixed, and the new interpretation allowing for re-election was also valid. That decision did not prevent the population from expressing its will at the ballot box.
The State of Emergency did not limit the activities that human rights defenders could carry out. Elections of prosecutors were unbiased and transparent. There were no signs indicating harm to human rights defenders.
Questions by Committee Experts
MIKEL MANCISIDOR, Committee Expert and country rapporteur, said it was the first time that he had heard a delegation challenge the mandate of the Committee. The Committee had listened to the delegation with great care. The Committee collaborated with countries based on State parties’ sovereign decision to ratify the Convention. The working procedure established by the Committee was applied equally to all countries. Its processes were transparent, well-known and predictable. The Committee based its analysis not only on information from the State involved but also from international organizations and civil society.
A Committee Expert said that the purpose of the dialogue was to measure the level of compliance with the Covenant, and identify challenges to implementing the Covenant. No State had perfectly implemented the Covenant. The Committee had raised legitimate concerns about the State of Emergency. The Committee’s only goal was the effective protection of human rights.
Another Committee Expert said that the Committee had cross-referenced its data with data from the World Bank and other international institutions. The Expert expressed hope that the State party would implement the Committee’s recommendations regarding the independence of the judiciary.
MOHAMED EZZELDIN ABDEL-MONEIM, Committee Chair, said that the Committee and the delegation were both in the “same boat,” the Covenant. Sometimes, conditions were favourable for sailing, other times, they were not. But the goal of reaching a safe haven remained the same.
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation explained that El Salvador understood that the Committee’s process used to analyse States was the same for all States. However, it called on the Committee to update and modernise its processes.
El Salvador was committed to creating conditions for decent work. It had ratified fundamental International Labour Organization conventions, including on collective bargaining, protection of maternity, and eradicating workplace violence and harassment.
The right to strike had been unaffected by the State of Emergency. To close the gap that existed between purchasing power and wage levels, the Government had implemented a trust fund supporting a rise in the minimum wage for small and medium enterprises. That trust fund had led to an increase in the minimum wage. Workers who carried out the same tasks should receive equal pay regardless of gender or other factors. El Salvador had ratified the International Labour Organization Convention on equal pay. Various affirmative action policies were in place to encourage women to enter the workforce, such as the insertion programme for housewives. Acts had been passed to eliminate barriers for women in the workforce, establishing breastfeeding rooms in places of employment and support for preschool care.
48 per cent of the workforce worked in the informal sector. Measures were being taken to analyse the state of that population. The Central Reserve Bank sought to establish standards for measuring that sector. Policies were being developed by the Government to facilitate the transition of workers into the formal sector.
Questions by Committee Experts
A Committee Expert said that child labour and exploitation remained major concerns. El Salvador’s periodic report mentioned more than 15,000 alerts about such problems and only 15 measures taken. What measures had been implemented to eradicate forced child labour and exploitation? What financial and technical resources had been allocated for ensuring the effective implementation of the “Crecer Juntos” law, which aimed to strengthen the protection of children and adolescents from sexual violence, and to improve sex education?
Many adolescents had been and remained deprived of their liberty under the State of Emergency and were being held in conditions that were incompatible with international human rights law. What measures had the State party taken to protect their rights?
What measures had the State party taken to combat discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons? Were conversion therapies aiming to change the gender identity and sexual orientation of such persons practiced?
What measures were being taken to guarantee the right to housing, including for the most vulnerable populations, and to ensure emergency temporary housing in the event of eviction?
The General Law on Water Resources that entered into force in July 2022 did not fully guarantee access to water and sanitation. The system favoured the exploitation of water by private companies for profit. What measures would the State party take to ensure the right to water through the water regulatory regime?
Since April 2020, the number of food-insecure Salvadorans had grown from 300,000 to 690,000. What measures were being taken to combat food insecurity among the most vulnerable populations?
What measures had been implemented to prevent communities located near landfills, such as the port of La Libertad, from being affected by the emission of greenhouse gases? How did the State ensure that judges and courts with jurisdiction over environmental matters were not dismissed in retaliation for imposing precautionary measures?
Women were reportedly prosecuted for the crime of abortion or the crime of homicide in trials where various due process guarantees were violated and pre-trial detention was abused. What measures were being taken to put an end to those human rights violations? Would the legislative framework on abortion be amended to be compatible with international human rights law? What health protocols were in place to ensure comprehensive health care, including sexual and reproductive health, for girls and women? What measures were in place to protect medical confidentiality? Did the State ensure that sexuality and reproduction education in school curricula was comprehensive, non-discriminatory, evidence-based, scientifically rigorous, and age-appropriate? What measures were being taken to ensure access to health care without discrimination for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex community?
El Salvador had set up an Economic Compensation Fund for relatives of health workers who had died during the COVID-19 pandemic. When would families receive that compensation?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said that health was a fundamental pillar for development. Multiple entities monitored the health sector. Community health networks ensured efficient access to care.
The COVID-19 pandemic had impacted food security, which was already made vulnerable by climate change and natural disasters. The Government had addressed food security through developing a sustainable food provision system. It had held dialogues with State institutions and civil society on establishing that system. Through that system, under-nutrition had been reduced by around three per cent. The Government had also subsidised energy costs and approved laws to combat inflation. Small-scale producers were also provided with loans with low interest rates.
The Constitution recognised the right to life from the moment of conception. There was no international legal standard that recognised abortion as a right. El Salvador did not criminalise abortion. Health practitioners provided therapeutic treatments, and could terminate pregnancies if the mother’s life was in danger. Abortions that were criminalised were those that were carried out with malicious intent. Deprivation of a baby’s life at 38 to 42 weeks was considered an aggravated homicide. The State duly punished those responsible. The State was creating better conditions for mothers and children in terms of prenatal and post-natal care.
Questions by Committee Experts
A Committee Expert noted significant progress in education, with lowered illiteracy rates and more children staying in school longer. What was the budget for education? Could the delegation provide information on support for preschool education, which played a key role in reducing inequality and gender gaps in the workforce?
There was a high rate of unwanted pregnancy in El Salvador. What measures were in place to support sexual and reproductive education? How did the State address women’s higher rate of illiteracy, and lower school enrolment rates in rural areas? Was there a link between family income and performance in school? How did the State party plan to tackle school dropout rates, which were among the highest in Latin America?
El Salvador had an inclusive education policy for children with disabilities, and over 1,000 students participated in inclusive education. That was welcome. What ratio of students with disabilities were enrolled in inclusive education? What impact had the education policy had on increasing that ratio?
There was no general law addressing all forms of discrimination. The Expert called for such a law to be adopted. What measures were in place to enable indigenous persons to study in their own language? What measures had the State party taken to improve students’ access to digital technologies?
It was important for statistics to be transparent and impartial, and thus statistics collection by the Central Reserve Bank could potentially be problematic. The Central Reserve Bank had a conflict of interest regarding financial statistics and financial policy. The International Statistics Institute had called on the State to rethink its decision to allow the Central Reserve Bank to collect statistics, and the Committee reiterated that request.
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the Government’s aim was to safeguard mothers and children. The Growing Together policy aimed to improve children’s quality of life and to protect children from violence. A law had been passed yesterday which required private sector entities to establish breastfeeding facilities. The Government was training medical staff to provide appropriate medical care to mothers and protect their privacy. An awareness-raising campaign on maternal health was being carried out.
In 2012, the Ministry of Health had developed a plan to provide appropriate care for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons. 15 clinics provided that population with specialised care. Awareness campaigns were being carried out to eliminate stigmatisation of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex community.
An inter-institutional system had been established to provide health care to persons deprived of liberty. Detention centre staff and detainees received training on preventing communicable diseases. Mental health support and sexual and reproductive health services were provided to all detainees.
El Salvador was a party to various international treaties on women’s rights. National laws prohibited discrimination against women and sexual and gender-based violence. All State institutions were required to establish gender centres which considered gender perspectives in policies and programmes. The 2021–2025 National Equality Plan aimed to support women’s empowerment, access to justice and economic development, and to prevent gender-based violence. Specialised training on women’s empowerment was provided to public servants. Protocols and policies on eliminating workplace harassment had also been developed. The State offered psychological, legal and medical support for women who were victims of discrimination and gender-based violence.
A protocol for investigating gender-based violence cases had been developed, and a special prosecutor’s office for investigating femicide had been established. The State was working with international partners to refine policies and systems for preventing femicide. The State also conducted awareness-raising campaigns on the rights of women. There had been 80 femicides in 2020. A dedicated office within the police force had been established to receive reports of violence against women and investigate such cases.
A general law on water resources had been adopted. The Government recognised the human right to water and sanitation. Water should not be privatised under any circumstances. Indigenous persons were consulted on the effects of development programmes on the environment, and the views of indigenous peoples were reflected in project plans. Certain areas had been recognised as the property of indigenous communities. The Government was obliged to control and limit activities that led to environmental damage. National environmental policy aimed to incorporate sustainability in development projects. All citizens could express opinions on proposed developments. Citizens were also consulted on national climate policies.
A new housing policy had established minimum standards for access to dignified housing. 35,000 new public houses had been constructed under that policy. Persons who lived in vulnerable areas were voluntarily resettled in facilities where their dignity was upheld. More than 275 families had benefitted from that programme. The housing subsidy had been increased from 15,000 to 27,000 United States dollars. The Government was developing a new housing strategy aiming to further support families living in difficult situations.
The rights of children were a priority for the Government. The labour code addressed the eradication of child labour. It also allowed the Ministry of Labour to inspect the various sectors of the economy to prevent child labour. About 5,000 inspections to identify child labour had been carried out, and no cases of the worst forms of child labour had been identified. A plan was in place for reducing the number of children living on the street.
The Government was committed to promoting indigenous languages. Classes on indigenous languages had been broadcast on the State’s education broadcasting network. 40 books had been published by the State in indigenous languages. A national plan on indigenous languages would be released in the coming months. The Government involved indigenous persons in projects to revitalise the State’s three indigenous languages, two of which were at risk of extinction. A registry of speakers of indigenous languages had been compiled.
The Bukele administration had increased investment in education from 3.7 per cent of gross domestic product in 2019 to 5.1 per cent in 2022. The State was investing in enhancing educational infrastructure, including classrooms and hygiene facilities. In 2021, higher education in El Salvador was made free, benefiting 61,000 students. From 2023, new legislation on early childhood education would be released. Under that legislation, early childhood education would be made free and compulsory. Sufficient budgets would be allocated to enable that policy.
A lack of identity documents was not an obstacle to registration at educational institutions. Technical tools were being distributed to bridge the gap in technological skills between students in rural and urban areas. 350,000 tablet computers would be distributed to first- and second grade students in the coming years. Schools had not been closed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The curriculum had been updated to introduce online education, and guidelines on online education had been developed. Education had also been delivered through television broadcasts. The grading system had been revised during the COVID-19 pandemic to focus more on social indicators.
A roadmap for accelerating the education system’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic had been developed. The roadmap included policies that were used to measure the performance of the education system internationally. Investment in health services in schools had also increased.
Questions by Committee Experts
A Committee Expert said that El Salvador had reduced poverty rates and inequality, and that was welcome. The tax system was based on indirect tax, and overly burdened people in positions of financial insecurity. Would the State party consider revising the tax system? El Salvador had an external debt of close to 90 per cent of gross domestic product. How did the State intend to reduce that debt?
Another Committee Expert said that the State party’s interpretation of provisions in international treaties on abortion was erroneous. El Salvador’s absolute prohibition of abortion was not in line with international human rights standards. States were called on by international treaties to allow abortion to protect women’s rights. Women with unwanted pregnancies were often in vulnerable social positions. The Expert called on the State to reconsider its prohibition of abortion.
Closing Statements
MIKEL MANCISIDOR, Committee Expert and country rapporteur, thanked the high-level delegation for the dialogue, which had covered a range of issues. There were differences of opinion regarding the method of conducting the dialogue, but the two parties had agreed that their common goal was implementing the provisions of the Convention. The Committee would produce recommendations based on the dialogue which would aim to improve the well-being of the people of El Salvador. Mr. Mancisidor called on the State party to share those recommendations widely and to implement them fully.
ADRIANA MIRA, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of El Salvador and head of the delegation , said that El Salvador was grateful for the opportunity to share information about progress made and challenges faced by the State. The State party’s goal was to ensure the human rights of its people. El Salvador was a safe country that was respectful of its human rights obligations. The State was writing a new history through measures to improve the standing of its people. The Government had strategies to enhance food security, improve education and health services, and ensure access to decent work. The Committee’s concluding observations would help the State party to advance in upholding the provisions of the Covenant.
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CESCR22.011E