Commonwealth Human Rights Unit News

The HRU, in accordance to its mandate, has continued to encourage and assist member countries, particularly small states, towards ratification and implementation of major UN human rights conventions. For instance, responding to a request from the Maldives government, HRU provided direct advice to the government ministries leading to ratification of two major international instruments namely ICCPR and ICESCR. HRU will continue to respond to similar requests from governments, as well continue to provide advice and assistance to countries reviewing their ratification status (including following up the capacity building programs organized for senior officials from the Caribbean and Pacific regions in 2006 and 2007).

HRU has continued to provide support and advice to countries where creation of a national human rights commission (NHRI) is proposed or the process towards creation is afoot (for example Swaziland, Papua New Guinea, Pakistan.) In February 2007 HRU organized the second Commonwealth conference of National Human Rights Institutions, which established the Commonwealth Forum of National Human Rights Institutions. The conference endorsed the holding of the first NHRI Forum meeting in Kampala on the sidelines of the Heads of Government meeting (CHOGM) scheduled to be held in November (see forthcoming events for more details). It is intended that the Forum improve networking, peer support and capacity building assistance among Commonwealth NHRIs, and as well as CHOGMs meet in the sidelines of ICC and Human Rights Council meetings.
HRU continues to enhance relationships with UN-OHCHR and with other international and regional partners on a range of human rights issues.  The HRU accompanied Commonwealth Secretary General Don McKinnon to the high-level segment of the Human Rights Council in March 2007. This was the first time a Commonwealth Secretary General has addressed the peak UN human rights body.

HRU continues to work to develop best practice standards and guidelines on human rights issues, including the ‘Commonwealth Handbook on Ratification of Human Rights Instruments’ and the ‘Model Curriculum on Human Rights’ for Commonwealth Universities and Law Schools. HRU continues its collaboration with Interights in bringing out a bi-annual publication on human rights cases from across the Commonwealth. It held an Expert Group meeting in June 2007 to work out the content of a Model National Plan of Action on Human Rights as a planning resource for Commonwealth countries. This will be launched in November.

HRU’s awareness-raising and educative programme continues, including its human rights training programme for police training schools, which has so far reached police instructors from Commonwealth countries in East, Southern and West Africa, the Pacific, Indian Ocean countries, and South Asia. Similar workshops in Bangladesh and for the Caribbean region are scheduled. Together with the Secretariat’s Youth Affairs Division, HRU aims to build on number and quality of human rights courses available to youth, tertiary students and adults. HRU seeks to involve other potential stakeholders and partners in carrying out its human rights education program.