BY BEN BILUA
Gizo
THE Solomon Islands Government has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthen the protection of human rights by advancing plans to establish a national human rights institution.
The commitment is outlined in the Solomon Islands National Report prepared for this year’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR), which highlights the Government’s intention to improve the country’s human rights monitoring, reporting and coordination systems.
Under the proposal, the Government will establish a centralised coordination mechanism responsible for monitoring and evaluating progress on human rights issues while also driving the establishment of a national human rights institution.
The mechanism will oversee the timely preparation and submission of human rights reports, including those required by international human rights bodies, through a consultative process involving relevant stakeholders.
According to the report, stronger collaboration with Parliament’s Foreign Relations Committee is also planned to ensure that the country’s human rights commitments are effectively brought before legislators for consideration and action.
The Government acknowledged that human rights challenges continue to affect communities across the country and recognised the need to strengthen coordination and improve reporting under the Universal Periodic Review and other international human rights treaty mechanisms.
It also recognised the importance of improving inter-ministerial coordination to ensure human rights obligations are implemented more effectively across government agencies.
The report states that Solomon Islands will continue to review its laws and policies to ensure they respond to the changing needs of its people and the country’s evolving social and environmental circumstances.
Among the Government’s priority areas are promoting gender equality, protecting the rights of women and children, expanding economic empowerment opportunities, strengthening law and order, and improving access to justice.
The Government also reaffirmed its commitment to work closely with development partners to integrate gender mainstreaming throughout the public service.
The report states that this effort will be supported by promoting and sharing good practices to ensure gender considerations are incorporated into government planning and service delivery.
The commitments form part of Solomon Islands’ ongoing efforts to meet its international human rights obligations while strengthening the protection and promotion of the rights of all citizens.
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