By Politico staff writer
Sierra Leone's Deputy Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, WTO and other International Organizations in Geneva, Switzerland, Ambassador Samuel U. B Saffa, has recommended the Government of Seychelles to consider passing stronger legislations with a view to combating gender-based violence and child abuse.
According to report by the mission’s Information attaché, Mohamed Sheriff, the Ambassador also called for the improvement of institutional structures and mechanisms to protect children from sexual abuse and economic exploitation, and take steps to submit its overdue reports to the relevant treaty bodies.
The Deputy Ambassador made this recommendations at the ongoing 38th Session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), in the Human Rights Council during the UPR session of Seychelles and Solomon Island.
While thanking the two countries for their informative and comprehensive national reports he applauded Seychelles for its many democratic gains, including a peaceful transfer of power, the creation of a National Human Rights Commission, and the enactment of several new pieces of legislations designed to improve the rights of women and children.
He also lauded the government for the strides taken to promote human rights since their last review cycle in 2016, which includes the UN recommendation to reform the Penal Code with a provision criminalizing all forms of sexual violence, enacted the child and Welfare Act of 2017 and drafted policies promoting gender equality.
"These improvements are noteworthy in light of many environmental challenges the Small Island Developing States faces, notably those related to climate change", he said.
However, he recommended that the Government of Solomon Islands ratify the core human rights instruments including the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (ICPPED), Convention Against Torture (CAT), and International Convention on the Rights of all Migrants Workers (ICRMW), seek required technical assistance to meet its various human rights obligations and consider to submit its overdue reports to the relevant treaty bodies.
Sierra Leone’s human rights record will on the 14th May be assessed by the UPR Working Group for the third time as one of the 14 States to be reviewed during the 38th session taking place in Geneva, Switzerland.
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