The Pacific Community (SPC) is assisting the governments of Palau and Solomon Islands with preparations for their respective Universal Periodic Reviews by the United Nations Human Rights Council this month in Geneva, Switzerland.

The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism allows UN Member States to declare their actions taken to improve human rights in their countries and to fulfil their human rights obligations.

Palau was reviewed by the UN Council today in Geneva.

Its delegation was led by their Minister for Community and Cultural Affairs, the Hon Baklai Temengil Chilton, and accompanied by an SPC Human Rights Advisor, Romulo Nayacalevu.

SPC organised a mock session for the Palauan delegation earlier this week in Geneva ahead of today’s review.

According to Mr Nayacalevu: “Palau has been preparing for months for this report including submitting its report to Parliament before its final endorsement and transmission to the UN Human Rights Secretariat in Geneva.

Meanwhile, SPC’s Regional Rights Resource Team, in partnership with the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights, presented a mock session for the Solomon Islands delegation in Sydney, Australia, on Wednesday.

The Solomon Islands’ delegation, led by their Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Hon Milner Tozaka, was en route to Geneva for their review, due to take place next Tuesday (26 January).

The UPR process highlights positive human rights developments and challenges in countries, and at the same time enhances dialogue with the international community, often resulting in prioritising actions to address the crucial human rights issues in those countries.

This is the second time Palau and Solomon Islands are reporting to the UN Human Rights Council through this process.

In 2015, SPC provided technical assistance to government and civil society groups in Kiribati, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Palau and Solomon Islands, in preparation for their respective reviews.

Samoa and Papua New Guinea will also be reviewed before the Human Rights Council this year - the final Pacific Island states to be reviewed under the Second Cycle of the UPR (2012–2016), also with technical support from SPC’s Regional Rights Resource Team.

SPC supports all 22 Pacific Island member countries and territories in building a culture of human rights, and assists nation states to commit to, and observe, international human rights standards. This work is funded by the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Government of Australia.

Media contact: Jilda Shem, SPC Communications Officer, RRRT, +679 330 5994,  [email protected].

A coalition of regional partners, including the Secretariat of the Pacific Community’s Regional Rights Resource Team (SPC RRRT), UNDP Pacific Centre, Pacific Youth Council and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) will be convening a Youth and civil society dialogue to be held from the 23-27th of June in Nadi, Fiji.

SPC RRRT is pleased to invite one representative from Civil Society and one youth representative from each of the following Pacific Island Countries: Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu

Download the conference announcement below for further details and the application form if you are interested to represent your country. Email us your completed form as soon as possible.

SPC_meeting_announcement_Regional_Youth_and_CSO_Dialogue_1.pdf

The SmalI Island States Officers representing Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Marshall Islands (front row, right to left) in Suva last week discussing their human rights responsibilities

Monday 3 March 2014, Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) – Suva, Fiji.

A human rights training workshop for Small Island States Officers (SIS)/Human Rights Officers (HROs) of Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, and Marshall Islands last week highlighted the added value of treaty reporting by the governments of the region.

The role of SIS/HRO includes representing the country in the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) Small Island States group and acting as human rights focal point under a funding agreement with the European Union.

Mr Nayacalevu added that human rights reporting also provides the opportunity to share best practice among states and support cooperation in the promotion and protection of human rights, which makes it a great tool for development.

The weeklong workshop jointly facilitated by SPC RRRT, PIFS and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and partners UN Women and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) introduces the HROs to human rights concepts, human rights systems at the national, regional and international level and their role in building national human rights coordination systems to support national human rights reporting. Two key outputs of the training were the development of common core documents to assist in harmonising reporting obligations and developing terms of references to assist Pacific governments in the creation of National Human Rights Coordination Committees to coordinate treaty reporting at the national level. The HRO’s were also trained on how to assist their governments on the implementation of human rights obligations arising from the country’s ratified human rights treaties.

Holly Yamada, SIS and HRO for Palau, was grateful for the opportunity to attend her first ever human rights training workshop:

David Teaabo, SIS and HRO for Kiribati, is empowered to support the strengthening of existing national human rights committees in Kiribati to ensure availability of key information from relevant government ministries and civil society for national reporting purposes:

Last week’s training was made possible through funding support provided under the European Union–PIFS Human Rights Project 2012–2015. On 20 February 2012 the European Union and PIFS signed a contribution agreement with a value of 1 million Euros to support Pacific Island countries in their ratification and implementation of international human rights treaties and the Rome Statute. SPC RRRT is an implementing partner of this project.

The PIFS Small Island States group includes Cook Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Marshall Islands and Tuvalu.

For more information, please contact Jilda Shem, SPC RRRT Communications Officer on +679 330 5994 or email [email protected].

Wednesday 5 June 2013, Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), Suva, Fiji –

A three-day regional consultation for judges and senior magistrates from across the Pacific, organised by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community Regional Rights Resources Team (SPC RRRT), took place this week in Brisbane, Australia.

The consultation focused on judicial independence, rule of law, and human rights issues in the contemporary Pacific context. They included sexual- and gender-based violence, disability inclusiveness and impacts of the Convention of the Rights of the Child on adoption.

The consultation serves as a forum for judges and magistrates from the Pacific region to share their professional experiences, with the aim of expanding their knowledge of human rights issues and best practices in the region.

The keynote address at the opening ceremony on Monday was delivered by Justice Logan of the Federal Court of Australia. The Pacific judges and magistrates were later hosted to a cocktail reception by the Chief Justice of Queensland, the Honourable Paul de Jersey, and judges of the Supreme Court of Queensland.

The consultation was attended by judges and magistrates from Australia, Cook Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Marshall Islands, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Tuvalu.

SPC RRRT has supported the work of regional judges and magistrates for over a decade, mainly focusing on the promotion and application of international human rights treaties and universal standards in Pacific courts. This work supports state obligations derived through the ratification of international human rights treaties and the application and domestication of international human rights standards in Pacific courts.

The regional consultation this week is generously supported by AusAID.

For more information, please contact Jilda Shem, SPC RRRT Communications Officer on +679 330 5994 or email [email protected]

Wednesday 29 August 2012, Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), Suva, Fiji –

Members of parliament in the Pacific have expressed alarm at the disturbing level of violence affecting women in the region. The Pacific has some of the highest rates of violence against women in the world.

Sitting MPs from Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu and Vanuatu met in Brisbane last month to discuss the issue and demand responses.

Dame Carol Kidu, former leader of the opposition in PNG, who attended the meeting, said MPs 'were alarmed that the Pacific has the worst record globally for violence against women.

The meeting prompted fourteen MPs to write a letter in support of the UN Secretary-General's global UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign. They are hoping more Pacific Island MPs will take up the cause to address the high rates of domestic, sexual and other types of gender-based violence affecting women and children in the Pacific.

Studies conducted by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) have found that in Kiribati 68 per cent of women aged 15 – 49 have experienced physical and or sexual violence.

In Solomon Islands the figure was 64 per cent and in Samoa it was 41 per cent. These figures are considered indicative of the scale of the problem across the region.

MPs are increasingly affirming that they have a pivotal role in addressing the issue through supporting law reform in parliament. Many of the present laws relating to violence against women in Pacific Island nations are decades old and do a poor job of recognising and responding to this complex social problem.

The introduction of new laws that provide more comprehensive legal responses and remedies can have a big impact on reducing rates of violence and providing support services to those affected.

The members of parliament signing in support of the UN Secretary-General's UNiTE campaign and calling for increased action in the Pacific were the Honourable Nandie Glassie and Tangata Vavia from Cook Islands, the Honourable Paliknoa Welly and Joseph Uresemal from the Federated States of Micronesia, the Honourable Martin Tofinga from Kiribati, the Honourable Regina Mesebeluu from Palau, former Opposition Leader Dame Carol Kidu from Papua New Guinea, the Honourable Clay Forau Soalaoi, Peter Tom, Martin Sopage and Vasian Lonamei from Solomon Islands, the Honourable Faalesa Pitoi from Tuvalu, and current Speaker of the House, the Honourable Dunstan Hilton, and former Minister for Justice, Isabelle Kora, from Vanuatu.

The MPs want their action to act as a catalyst for increased political awareness and effort throughout the Pacific to better protect women and children and ensure their right to live free from violence.

Pacific Leaders have, through the 2009 Cairns Communiqué, acknowledged that violence against women is an impediment to Pacific societies. They recognised sexual and gender based violence as a sensitive issue in Pacific cultures and noted that it is pervasive and underreported.

Addressing the problem 'at all levels of the community' is a priority, according to Leaders.

In 2010 the Pacific Islands Forum Regional Security Committee established a Reference Group to Address Sexual and Gender Based Violence.

The Reference Group's mandate is to raise awareness and guide national efforts to meet Forum Leaders' commitment to eradicate sexual and gender based violence and to ensure all individuals have equal protection of the law and equal access to justice.

For more information, contact Daiana Buresova, Senior Human Rights Legal Policy Researcher, SPC Regional Rights Resource Team: [email protected] +679 330 5582

19 AUGUST 2010 KOROR (PALAU HORIZON/MARIANAS VARIETY)

Palau's human rights situation will be up for review for the first time in 2011 as part of the United Nations' a Human Rights Council process called Universal Periodic Review (UPR).

To help Palau prepare for its human rights report due on Feb. 2011, South Pacific Communities started yesterday a one-week government and non-governmental forum and training on upcoming review.

Part of the forum was also to solicit comments from stakeholders, advocacy groups and other non-governmental organizations on the human rights record of Palau.

The stakeholders comprising of government agencies, civil society groups, media among others are participating in the forum being conducted by SPC officials.

Filipo Masaurua, Human Rights Adviser said the forum is an opportunity to tell the stakeholders stories on the human rights situation of the country.

Seema Naidu, Human Rights Officer, SPC/Regional Rights Resource Team said that the forum will also determine through the stakeholders' inputs what rights are under threats and the issue of certain group or marginalized groups pertaining to human rights situation.

Mr Masaurua said Palau can also include a section in its report of the human rights situation of the foreign workers in the country.

At least 35 percent of the country's population comprises of foreign workers.

Palau will be reviewed at the 11th session of the UPR Working Group to take place at the UN Office in Geneva in May 2011.

The UPR National report meanwhile is due on Feb. 1, 2011.

UPR is a relatively new procedure that seeks to review the human rights record of all 192 United Nations member states once every four years...PNS (ENDS)

Tuesday 11 March 2009, Secretariat of the Pacific Community, New York

Pacific laws on violence against women (VAW) are outdated and treat women with indifference despite the globally high rates of VAW in the Pacific region.

Pacific Island governments need to make a concerted effort to review this legislation so that laws can better protect women.

Secretariat of the Pacific Community/Regional Rights Resource Team (SPC/RRRT) Gender and Human Rights Advisor, Imrana Jalal, made the comments whilst addressing members of the Pacific Islands Forum who attended the 53rd United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW) held recently in New York.

Pacific representatives from the Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, as well as Australia and New Zealand attended the meeting.

Jalal told those Pacific government representatives that only a handful of Pacific Island countries and territories (PICTs) had made some progress.

Jalal said Fiji had addressed some elements of domestic violence in its family law but had not touched sexual violence or domestic violence in its criminal or civil codes. Despite being the first country in the region to ratify the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women, Samoa had not passed any legislation addressing any area of women's rights, since ratification.

Jalal was at the UNCSW as chair of the high-level UN Expert Group on Best Practices in Violence against Women Legislation. The panel advises the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon on best practices from around the globe in terms of laws which relate to violence against women (VAW).

She told the PICT government representatives that SPC/RRRT had won a substantial grant from the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) Trust Fund. SPC/RRRT had to compete with 1027 applicants worldwide for the grant.

The grant, worth USD 720,000 provides SPC/RRRT with some resources to work with PICT governments and non-government organisations to help reform laws which relate to VAW. SPC/RRRT was the only Pacific organisation to win one of the 28 grants available.

Jalal said the grant focused on addressing the issue of legislation specifically, and SPC/RRRT's effort is meant to build on the groundwork already laid by organisations such the Fiji Women's Crisis Centre (FWCC) Pacific Women's Network on VAW.

The UNIFEM Trust Fund Pacific project ties in with the expert group's findings on best practices globally. Jalal said the best VAW laws emanated from the developing world, not the developed world, citing Mexico, Albania and India as examples.

Jalal said that compared to global standards, Vanuatu's new domestic violence law is also 'pretty decent legislation', although it is far from perfect. She said there were no perfect laws in the arena of human relationships.

Jalal said that the goal of the SPC/RRRT UNIFEM Trust Fund project was 'changing laws protecting women and lobbying for legislative change in violence against women and family law in order to enhance protective legislation for women and girls in six PICTs'.

Initially, SPC/RRRT will begin the legislative reforms with the governments of Cook Islands, Kiribati, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Samoa.

Jalal said that there was no need to re-invent the wheel as the UN Expert Group on Best Practices in VAW Legislation had come up with a compilation of best practices from around the globe which could be adapted to suit the Pacific context.

Whilst in New York Jalal made four presentations at various CSW panels as Chair of the UN Expert Group on Best Practices in VAW Legislation and also a half-hour video on VAW legislation for the UN's Division for the Advancement of Women (UNDAW). The video will be available on UNDAW's website shortly.

For more information, contact Sandra Bernklau, Programme Manager SPC/RRRT +(679) 3305 582 or email: [email protected]

Background: The Regional Rights Resource Team (RRRT), which is a programme of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), works with partners in nine focus countries (Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Samoa,Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Nauru and Vanuatu) to offer training and expert advice on the development of human rights advocacy, lobbying, mobilisation strategies and the drafting of national human rights legislation. The team provides human rights training, technical support, and policy and advocacy services tailored specifically for the Pacific region. Its mission is to seek a Pacific region that is respected for the quality of its governance, the sustainable management of its resources, the full observance of democratic values and for its defence and promotion of human rights.