Documents / ARCHIVE
Workshop Report on Integration Human Rights in Natural Disaster Management in the Pacific
International Day for the Support of Victims of Torture
National Human Rights Consultation, Australia, May 2009
Pacific Island States - Regional Workshop on Establishing NHRIs, 27-29 April 2009
Press releases:
Call for Government to Protect against Forced Eviction in Port Moresby
Human Rights Committee reviews Australia during considerartion of its fifth periodic report
The Regional Office for the Pacific of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) welcomes the outcome of a Pacific region human rights seminar on the Universal Periodic Review, held on 3-4 February in Auckland, New Zealand
Pacific Seminar on the Universal Periodic Review3-4 February 2009, Auckland, New Zealand
- Outcome Statement ...
Human Rights Day Poster Competition
From 02-11-2008 to 01-12-2008 (Pacific)
To celebrate the Universal Declaration of Human Rights' (UDHR) 60th Anniversary, the United Nations through the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) - Regional Office for the Pacific and the United Nations United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is holding a poster competition.
Posters should depict your vision for “Dignity and Justice for All in the Pacific”. Posters will be accepted in the following categories:
• Primary School (years 1 – 8)
• Secondary School (years 9-13)
• General Community (such as community groups or individuals)
There will be national and regional winners in each category and one entry will be selected for reproduction as a Pacific Human Rights Poster.
Entries should be submitted by 30 November 2008.
See the attached competition flyer for more details.
Start date (local time): 02-11-2008 0:00
End date (local time): 01-12-2008 0:00
United Nations Human Rights (OHCHR)
Eligible countries: Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Tokelau, Tuvalu, Tonga, Samoa, Solomon Islands & Vanuatu
Human Rights Regional Round Table Calendar
>>More information
Universal Periodic Report
Fact Sheet, Schedule, Guidelines and Stakeholders on the UPR
UNITED NATIONS PRESS RELEASE: "Bill to Make HIV testing compulsory"
The United Nations System in Papua New Guinea commends on-going efforts by
the Government to scale up HIV testing and counseling in the country. The
role of voluntary counseling and testing is important as it increases
access to HIV prevention, care and support services. We wish to state, however, that compulsory testing is contrary to the UN
position on HIV testing and counseling as it is a violation of the right to
privacy and confidentiality. This is in reference to recent newspaper
articles on making HIV testing compulsory in Bougainville; an outcome
attributed to UN supported HIV workshops targeting different cadres of
leadership in Bougainville.HIV testing and counseling, is part of the broad prevention, treatment and
care strategies. It should be carried out in a manner that does not fuel
stigma and discrimination, and implemented in an environment where human
rights are respected, protected and fulfilled.
Statement delivered on 14 January 2008 by the Chairperson of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, Ms. Dubravka Simonovic
>>Full statement
Letter from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to the Director of the Fiji Human Rights Commission, 3 October 2007
>>Full statement
Strengthening CEDAW Implementation in the Pacific
The workshop, to be held at Le Meridian in Port Vila, Vanuatu from 19th-21st November will explore ways that the Cook Islands, Fiji, Samoa and Vanuatu can implement the recommendations of the CEDAW Committee on their national reports. >>Press release
Vanuatu takes treaty action during May 2007
On 17 May 2007, Vanuatu ratified the Optional Protocol of the Convention the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). The same day, Vanuatu also signed the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Earlier this year, on 14 March 2007, New Zeeland became the 33rd State Party to the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture; with 50 State Parties the respective Sub-Committee will increase its membership from 10 to 25. On 6 February 2007, Samoa and Vanuatu signed the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and on 30 March of the same year Australia and New Zealand signed Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The act of signature is a first step towards ratification of a treaty. It generates no direct legal implications; only ratification (or accession) binds the State to implement all the rights recognized in the treaty. For the status of ratification, go under to >>Ratification table of Optional Protocols and Ratification of Core Treaties
UN Working Group on the use of mercenaries concludes visit to Fiji
Suva, 18 May 2007: The United Nations Working Group on the use of mercenaries
has conducted a fact-finding visit to Fiji from 14 to 18 May 2007, following consultations
with Fijian authorities since 2005. The Working Group delegation was headed by its
Chairperson-Rapporteur, Mr. José Luis Gomez del Prado, and included Working Group
member Mr. Alexander Nikitin. For more information.
OHCHR-Pacific launches book and website
On 25 April, OHCHR Pacific Regional Office launched its new website during a human rights evening at the Alliance Française in Suva, Fiji Islands. A new publication entitled Advancing the implementation of human rights in the Pacific was also launched. This book is a joint publication of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), UNDP, UNIFEM, UNFPA and UNICEF. It contains the most recent UN Treaty Bodies recommendations for all the 16 countries of the Pacific region. The book also includes selected country-based examples of follow-up given to UN recommendations and provides explanations of the UN human rights monitoring mechanism. Recommendations of the UN human rights treaty bodies are essential tools to guide all State branches and non-State actors in their efforts to make human rights a daily reality.
Regional workshop on Integrating human rights in National Disaster Management (9-11 May 2007, Suva, Fiji Islands)
The overall aim of this workshop is to increase the awareness and skills of UN and other staff, especially those involved in disaster relief and recovery operations/programming, about the relevance of human rights issues in disaster management, this in order to reduce the vulnerability of affected populations and special groups, enable transition to normalcy and contribute to increased risk reduction, all within a rights-based framework. The objectives of the workshop organized by OHCHR and UNDP PC are twofold: 1) train those UN Disaster Management Team and Pacific UNDAC (UN Disaster Assessment & Coordination) Team members in basic human rights and 2) develop a human rights check-list, specific to the Pacific region, to be used by all concerned actors in situations of humanitarian emergencies to ensure that human rights concerns are effectively incorporated in natural disaster preparedness, response and recovery. This check-list would be a dynamic tool that would be revised and expanded whenever needed. The workshop will be held over three days in Suva, Fiji, at Tanoa Plaza in Suva. The schedule of the workshop is from May 9 - 11, 2007, from 8.30 am – 6.00 pm each day.
OHCHR-Pacific trains prison officials in Kiribati
From 18 to 20 April 2007, OHCHR-Pacific organized a human rights training workshop for prison officials in Tarawa, Kiribati. OHCHR has a wide experience worldwide in training prison officials and law enforcement personnel in human rights. More information on this activity will soon be provided.
UN Human Rights Treaty Bodies and Pacific countries
Kiribati, Samoa and the Marshall Islands have been recently reviewed by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC). During 2007, Vanuatu and the Cook Islands will be reviewed by the UN Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW); New Zealand and the Fiji Islands in 2008 by the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD). Australia will be considered by the UN Committee against Torture in November 2007. Latest UN treaty bodies recommendations adopted for Pacific countries.
OHCHR Indigenous Fellowship Programme
The aim of the Indigenous Fellowship Programme (IFP) is to give indigenous peoples the opportunity to gain knowledge on the UN system and mechanisms dealing with human rights in general and indigenous issues in particular so they can assist their organizations and communities in protecting and promoting the rights of their people. Application details.
Latest UN human rights reports on Pacific States
Report of the UN Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living Miloon Kothari: Misison to Australia (31 July to 15 August 2006). >>Full report
Report of the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, Martin Scheinin. Australia: study on human rights compliance while countering terrorism. >>Full report
Report on Housing rights assessment mission to Papua New Guinea, 29 June - 9 July 2010
Human rights monitoring
of persons internally displaced by the 2009 tsunami in Samoa
Workshop Report on Integration Human Rights in Natural Disaster Management in the Pacific
Sport in the United Nations
Convention on the rights of
persons with disabilities, a publication of the
International Disability in Sport working group
in partnership with the
United Nations Office of the Special Advisor to the Secretary-General
on Sport for Development and Peace
Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on progress in the implementation of the recommendations contained in
the study on the human rights of persons with disabilities, A/HRC/4/75,
17 January 2007
Pacific Youth Charter
Draft Pacific Charter of Human Rights and Explanatory Memorandum
Report by the Secretariat on Concept Paper on the High Commissioner's proposal for a unified standing treaty body
Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, from 3 to 21 October 2005 at its 33rd session.
Regional Workshop on National Human Rights Mechanisms, Fiji Mocambo Hotel, Nadi, Fiji on 28 February - 01 March 2005
Pacific Islands Human Rights Consultation, Concluding Statement and Recommendations - Suva, FIji Islands, 1 - 3 June 2004
Principles relating to the status and functioning of national institutions for protection and promotion of human rights (“UN Paris Principles”), 1993
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