By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune News Editor
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
THE government’s position on criminalising marital rape, abolishing the death penalty, banning corporal punishment and protecting the rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) people will be scrutinised when Attorney General Ryan Pinder leads a delegation to Geneva, Switzerland, for the United Nations Human Rights Council’s (UNHRC) review of our human rights record this week.
Wednesday will mark the fourth time The Bahamas has participated in the UNHRC’s Universal Periodic Review. Representatives will be expected to outline their steps to implement recommendations they committed to during previous reviews and highlight recent human rights developments in the country.
According to the UNHRC’s website, some countries submitted questions to The Bahamas before Wednesday’s meeting, many focusing on controversial domestic issues.
The United Kingdom asked: “What steps are the government of The Bahamas taking to amend the Sexual Offences Act and the definition of rape in Section Three to include the criminalisation of marital rape?”
Belgium asked: “What other steps will the government of The Bahamas take to address the high prevalence of gender-based violence? Are The Bahamas considering criminalising marital rape in all circumstances?”
“Belgium is concerned about the prevalence of corporal punishment as a widely accepted means of disciplining children at school and at home. Is the government of The Bahamas planning to prohibit all forms of corporal punishment of children and adolescents in all settings and to strengthen awareness-raising programmes in order to promote non-violent forms of child-rearing and discipline?”
“As a strong proponent of the abolition of the death penalty, Belgium welcomes the fact that no execution has taken place in the Bahamas since 2000 and that death sentences were commuted. Will the government of The Bahamas, as a next step, reduce the offences for which the death penalty may be imposed to the most serious crimes? Is the government considering to ratify the Second Optional protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights aiming at the abolition of the death penalty?
Spain asked: “In order to fight discrimination against LGBTI people, does the government of The Bahamas plan to take measures to ensure the protection of all, regardless of their sexual orientation or sexual identity?”
Panama asked: "What is the state of play of the 'Nationality Bill 2022, which seeks to promote gender equality in the transmission of citizenship?"
Germany asked: “How does the Commonwealth of The Bahamas plan to tackle the increase in cases of sexual and gender-based violence?”
The review of The Bahamas’ human rights record will rely on a national report the government submitted to the UNHRC; information contained in reports from independent human rights experts and groups; and information from other stakeholders, including national human rights institutions, regional organisations and civil society groups.
Ahead of Wednesday’s meeting, the House of Assembly passed a resolution establishing a Human Rights Committee in Parliament last week.
The government also tabled a bill to establish an Office of Ombudsman––a matter of interest to the UNHRC, with Germany asking: “When will the Commonwealth of The Bahamas introduce the long-planned office of an ombudsperson for human rights?”
Before Wednesday's meeting, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights compiled a report highlighting numerous issues raised with The Bahamas government in the last five years, some of which have not been resolved.
It noted, for instance, that the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women recommended in 2021 that the government finally enact a gender-based violence law.
“The same committee expressed concern about the lack of a comprehensive law addressing violence against women and the delay in finalising and adopting the draft bill on gender-based violence,” the report, dated February 13, 2023, said.
Comments
bahamianson 1 year, 6 months ago
The un has its own agenda. If you do not conform to them , you are ostracized. It is nations bullying nations , no more, no less. Governments tell you it is wrong to bully kids in school, but it is okay to bully other nations. Total hypocrites.
mandela 1 year, 6 months ago
Here it goes again, the larger economy nations putting pressure on the smaller economy nations to conform. This is going to be interesting.
sheeprunner12 1 year, 6 months ago
Does The Bahamas get an opportunity to ask questions of these same countries???
GodSpeed 1 year, 6 months ago
Why doesn't the UN go and govern countries like Haiti, those that can't function. Instead of trying to tell functional countries what to do, go show the world how your theories and governance can turn a bad situation around then functional countries may be more inclined to follow your model. Of course this is really all about control.
IslandWarrior 1 year, 6 months ago
The Bahamian people should not be forced to be controlled by the darkness of the homosexual movement. As a Muslim, I believe that I have the right to take on a second wife, as my religion permits me and over a billion other Muslims worldwide. However, I also believe that this right should not be imposed on others who do not share my beliefs. Ultimately, the decision of whether or not to have Bahamians comply with the forced acceptance of a detestable thing should be left to the individual countries in accordance with their own religious beliefs and values.
As I have said before, the 'criminalising marital rape' agenda is nothing more than bait for the bigger dark LGBTx movement. The Bahamian people should be free to choose their own path in life, and they should not be forced to conform to the ideals of any one movement.
LastManStanding 1 year, 6 months ago
The UN is possibly the most irrelevant organization in global politics at the moment. Why do we even pay these people the time of day?
stillwaters 1 year, 6 months ago
Most likely, when they are released into the population, they will head straight for Social Services.....like we don't have enough Bahamians that need Social Services more.
hrysippus 1 year, 6 months ago
The governments of those countries hostile to the democratic nations have had their misinformation departments busy disseminating misinformation on social media for several years now with the goal of discrediting the United Nations as an organization. They have been very successful particularly with the less educated. The United Nations has many flaws however the world is better off with it rather than without. Those who disagree probably have not lost any family members serving in the two world wars, in fact, more probably do not have any family members that served in the armed foeces at all.
ExposedU2C 1 year, 6 months ago
These UN clowns love to meet in wealthy nations where they can wine, dine, and in the case of Switzerland, hide their money from their home country tax man. They never choose to have such events in the poorer nations capable of hosting them and which would derive much more needed economic benefit from such useless gatherings.
hrysippus 1 year, 6 months ago
sxposedU2C
I guess that you mussa have missed the recent UB meeting in Brazil, but, please do not let reality get in the way of your deusions. Reply ↵ Suggest removal
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ExposedU2C 1 year, 6 months ago
Brazil is not even considered a developing country anymore. It is a global economic powerhouse that is in the process of having its great wealth of natural resources exploited by the Chinese Communist Party.
bcitizen 1 year, 6 months ago
Maybe the UN should be concerned with the mass violation of human rights and the nerumberge code violations regarding medical experimentation on people.
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