Rights in the FSM go under the microscope

Transcript

Questions are expected to be asked of the Federated States of Micronesia about their lack of ratification of core human rights treaties at a United Nations review next week.

The FSM is one of 14 member countries being examined as part of the UN Universal Periodic Review process in Geneva.

The acting head of the UN Human Rights Office for the Pacific, Catherine Phuong, told Koro Vaka'uta what will come under the microscope.   

CATHERINE PHUONG:  Micronesia was examined during the first cycle in November 2010, so that's five years now.  The Universal Periodic Review is the peer review process.  It is states reviewing the human rights situation in another state.  Looking back at 2010 a number of areas were discussed and states made a series of recommendations.  Like many Pacific island countries, Micronesia has not ratified many international human rights treaties and in fact Micronesia has ratified only two core human rights treaties which are the the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women and the Convention on the Rights of the Child.  So it wasn't a surprise that there were many recommendation encouraging Micronesia to ratify the other human rights treaties.  Another area of focus was on the rights of women and children and states recommended to Micronesia to adopt or review legislation and policy in a number of areas such as gender discrimination, violence against women, trafficking persons or child labour.

KORO VAKA'UTA:  In general it seems the issues in relation to human rights in the Federated States of Micronesia surround women and children more than anything else.  Why does this seem to be the case?

CP:  It is true that when looking at the recommendations that were made, the great majority of them were related to women and children issues.  I don't think that is a surprise.  Sadly, as in many other Pacific island countries, rates of violence against women and children are high and women's participation in political life is still limited, in fact no women has ever been elected to congress.  So in light of these ongoing challenges the focus on women and children is justified.  But states have also made recommendations on a number of other issues as well.  For instance there was a recommendation on the prohibition of discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity.  I should note here that, as far as I know, Micronesia is the only Pacific island country where same-sex relations have never been criminalised. There were also recommendation on the establishment of a national human rights institution and also recommendations on the prevention of ill-treatment in detention centres and prisons.  That was all in 2010, now we have the second review.  Now there is no doubt that some progress has been made in several areas.  For instance, in the area of anti-trafficking, all four states of the federation and the federal state have adopted legislation.  Implementation of the recommendation is a complex process because of the federal structure of the country.  Now in some areas implementation is still ongoing and on domestic violence for instance, only one of the four states have adopted legislation and there is till not federal legislation.