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Strengthening inclusive, transparent and responsive governance mechanisms and institutions to uphold and promote human rights for social development. 

This thematic area focuses on supporting stakeholders across the region to understand, implement and uphold human rights. Work involves policy and legislation, responsive planning and budgeting, working directly with duty bearers, with systems, and with rights holders and the bodies that support them. This thematic area contributes to Objectives 1, 2 and 4.  

HRSD's programmatic work under this theme includes:

National Human Rights Institutions NHRI's work: SPC in collaboration with the Asia Pacific Foundation (APF) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), supports countries in the establishment and strengthening of National Human Rights Institutions (NHRI) that are Paris Principles compliant.  The Pacific currently has NHRIs in Fiji, Samoa and Tuvalu.  The collaboration has been providing support to countries that are considering establishing an NHRI, with scoping missions to have national discussions on the importance of an NHRI and the model that may suit that country. 

National Mechanisms on Implementation, Reporting and Follow-Up (NMIRF): treaty reporting, capacity strengthening with HR committees and taskforces: SPC in collaboration with the respective UN agencies (UN Women, UNICEF, OHCHR) works closely with countries to support their obligations towards human rights treaties.  This technical support includes supporting the convening of national consultations, providing technical advice in the consideration of ratification of a specific treaty, once ratified support government in the implementation of their commitments and finally support towards the reporting process.  SPC supports countries in the establishment and strengthening of National Mechanisms on Implementation, Reporting and Follow-Up (NMIRF).  These are national human rights taskforce/committees that have a specific mandate to track the implementation of human rights commitments and coordinate the reports which are provided to the respective human rights committees. 

Gender mainstreaming: SPC provides technical support with member governments to support the mainstreaming gender within respective government ministries in their programs and resourcing.  Working closely with the Ministries of Women (or its equivalent) to ensure that gender is mainstreamed across sectors.

Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) and Human Rights statistics: HRSD works closely with the Statistics for Development Division (SDD) to ensure that the human rights and gender statistics needs of countries are supported.  This may be through the support of the respective national survey processes or specific human rights and gender data needs.  These input into the respective government programs, ensuring that human rights and gender data are readily availably and utilised.

Universal Periodic Review (UPR): The UPR is a mechanism of the Human Rights Council where all member countries of the United Nations undergo a human rights peer review every four and half years.  Through this peer review member countries share updates on progress of implementing human rights commitments in their countries, challenges of progressing these commitments and how they have worked to overcome these challenges. Countries than receive recommendations that will assist them in continuing the progress of their human rights commitment as they continue implementation.
SPC provides on-going technical support for member countries through :

  • Support for the implementation of recommendations and working with their National Mechanism for Implementation, Reporting and Follow-Up (NMIIF), which coordinates collaboration amongst government ministries;
  • Supporting the NMIRF to coordinate the development of State UPR reports.  SPC also works closely with civil society organisations that also submit an alternate report to this UPR process.
  • SPC supports members in their preparation for their review, through a mock session.  This is a simulated exercise which provides delegations with an opportunity better understand the process before they appear before the Human Rights Council.

SPC provides this support in collaboration with partners from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Pacific Office.

Climate Change and Human Rights: SPC overall has been working closely with members that lead the scientific technical work on climate change in countries. HRSD has been contributing to the people-centred aspects of this work in the region.  This has included through the engagement with the human rights treat bodies, UN mechanisms, support with civil society organisations and broadly support to governments.  Recently HRSD has actively coordinated the support of the organisations towards the :

  • International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) Advisory Opinion on Climate Change and International Law, which explored governments obligations to protect the marine environment and climate change.  SPC provided support to member countries in the coordination and contribution to the evidence for their submissions to the ITLOS  process.  Finally SPC joined countries to make oral submissions to the ITLOS.  The Advisory Opinion recently release provides the region with renewed hope in its advocacy with other international climate related spaces like the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the Conference of Parties (COP) negotiations.  
  • International Court of Justice (ICJ) Advisory Opinion on the obligations of States in relation to Climate Change – SPC has provided continued support to countries in the development of their submissions and support the collation and analysis of evidence included in these submissions.  Currently SPC is working with countries on their responses to queries that have been received on their submissions.  There will be support to prepare countries who will be appearing before the ICJ. 

Overall HRSD has led the coordination of the One SPC support to the above Advisory Opinion processes with ITLOS and ICJ. Also ensuring that a human rights centred impacts on Pacific people are strongly profiled in these submissions.

Projects with relevant activities: