Twenty-Third Session of the Universal Periodic Review, Geneva, 2 to 13 November 2015
The UK delivers its statement on the Universal Periodic Review of the Republic of the Federated States of Micronesia, 2 November 2015.
The UPR takes place at the Palais des Nations in Geneva
Thank you Mr President,
The UK welcomes the delegation and congratulates them on their national report. We are pleased to note the consultation with civil society in its preparation.
The UK acknowledges the capacity and resource challenges facing the Government, especially given the impact of climate change. We believe these challenges make the protection of human rights for the most vulnerable still more important, and we encourage the Government to continue to draw on international assistance.
The UK welcomes efforts to eliminate violence against women and children and notes the Government’s priorities to create a National Gender Policy and submit a national report for the Convention on the Rights of the Child. We also welcome the Government’s announcement that it has now ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The UK considers it essential that action to combat violence against women and children is prioritised in the national action plan.
We note with concern increasing instances of trans-national crime, including forced labour, child trafficking and sex trafficking, and would encourage the government to seek technical assistance from the relevant UN bodies in tackling these issues.
The UK recommends that the Government:
Ensure that federal legislation provides adequate protection for women and children, including by criminalising violence, in line with obligations under international human rights law;
Ensure equality of all persons before the law, by including gender, sexual orientation and disability as grounds for non-discrimination in relevant constitutional or legal provisions.
Thank you Mr President.