KIRIBATI: Human rights record to face scrutiny

KIRIBATI: Human rights record to face scrutiny under UN periodic review

GENEVA (United Nations/Pacific Media Watch): Kiribati’s human rights record will be examined by the UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group for the second time on Mondayin a meeting that will be webcast live.

Kiribati is one of 14 states to be reviewed by the UPR Working Group during its upcoming session taking place from 19 to 30 January.

Kiribati’s first UPR review took place on 3 May 2010.

The documents on which the reviews are based are: 1) national report - information provided by the State under review 2) information contained in the reports of independent human rights experts and groups, known as the Special Procedures, human rights treaty bodies, and other UN entities; 3) information provided by other stakeholders including national human rights institutions, regional organisations and civil society groups.

Among the issues raised in the above-mentioned documents are: eliminating sexual and gender-based violence and discrimination; combatting domestic violence and protecting victims and survivors; the status of implementation of MDG3 Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women; ensuring inclusive quality education; mitigating disaster risk and ensuring access to clean drinking water and sanitation; reducing maternal and infant mortality rates; eliminating all forms of corporal punishment; decriminalising same-sex relations between consenting adults; and upholding the rights of persons with disabilities.

The three reports serving as the basis for the review of Kiribati on January 19 can be found here:
www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/UPR/Pages/KISession21.aspx

Location: Room 20, Palais des Nations, Geneva

Time and date: 14.30 – 18.00, Monday 19 January (Geneva time, GMT +1 hour)

Webcast of the session will be at: http://webtv.un.org

The UPR is a unique process which involves a periodic review of the human rights records of all 193 UN Member States. Since its first meeting was held in April 2008, all 193 UN member states have been reviewed during the first UPR cycle and 112 thus far during the second cycle. The second review of states aims to highlight human rights developments in the country since its first review and provides an opportunity for states under review to spell out steps taken to implement recommendations posed during their first reviews.

The delegation of Kiribati will be headed by Ms. Tangariki Reete, Minister for Women, Youth and Social Affairs of Kiribati. The three country representatives serving as rapporteurs (“troika”) for the review of Kiribati are: Ireland, Kenya and Vietnam.

ENDS

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