Exploring human rights pathways for Pacific countries

Representatives from 13 Pacific countries will participate in a regional workshop to discuss issues around the establishment of national human rights institutions (NHRIs) in their island states.

The workshop, co-organised by the APF, the OHCHR and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, will be held in Samoa from 27 – 29 April 2009.

It aims to contribute to the dialogue on human rights in the Pacific by engaging government representatives, parliamentarians, public officials and members of civil society on issues relating to the establishment of NHRIs.

“In recent years there has been a significant growth in the number of NHRIs in the Asia Pacific region,” said Kieren Fitzpatrick, Director of the APF Secretariat. “However, this same growth hasn’t yet occurred in Pacific Island countries.”

Currently a number of Pacific Island states, including Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Palau, are taking preliminary steps towards establishing NHRIs.

“Although a number of human rights mechanisms do exist in the Pacific – such as safeguards in national constitutions and active civil society groups – concerns have been raised about the effectiveness of human rights protection in the region,” said Mr Fitzpatrick.

“NHRIs can play a vital role by independently monitoring, protecting and promoting human rights at the national level, as well as helping to harmonize international standards within the Pacfic context.”

The Regional Workshop will bring together representatives from the Cook Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.

It will provide participants with the relevant knowledge and methodological tools developed by the United Nations for establishing NHRIs, with a particular focus on the internationally agreed standards set out in the Paris Principles.

It will also provide a forum to share lessons learned from NHRIs around the region, especially the experiences of NHRIs on small island states such as the Maldives and Timor Leste.

Other topics that will be discussed during the three day workshop include:

• applying the Paris Principles in the Pacific context
• the benefits of having an independent and operational NHRI
• the process of establishing a NHRI; and
• the legal provisions required for establishing NHRIs in accordance the Paris Principles, including foundation, appointment process, membership and methods of operation.

“In the short term, the workshop aims to raise awareness among Pacific stakeholders on the role and functions of NHRIs and to identify opportunities to support countries wanting to take steps towards establishing a NHRI,” said Mr Fitzpatrick.

“In the longer term, we hope that a strategy can be developed for each Pacific Island country towards the establishment of their own NHRI and that we see a growing number of NHRIs established in the Pacific.”