Universal Periodic Review 29: The Bahamas
This UK statement was delivered during the 29th session of the Universal Period Review during the discussion of the Bahamas' Human Rights Record on 17 January 2018.
The Universal Periodic Review takes place at the Palais des Nations in Geneva
The UK thanks the Bahamas for its continued commitment to the UPR process.
We welcome its national anti-trafficking strategy and action plan. We encourage the Bahamas to increase efforts to prosecute and convict traffickers and improve protocols to identify victims of sex and labour trafficking.
We urge action on promoting gender equality, including preventing discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity.
We regret that previous administrations rejected recommendations on death penalty abolition and encourage the new Government to confirm whether it is taking steps towards abolition.
We have three recommendations:
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Ratify the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty, and consider the repeal of provisions allowing for the death penalty.
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Adopt an open, merit-based selection process when selecting national candidates for UN Treaty Body elections.
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Ratify and implement the International Labour Organization’s 2014 Protocol to the Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (P029)