Bahamas Presents National Report During the Universal Periodic Review of the UN Human Rights Council

The Bahamas underwent its Third Cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) at the 29th Session today, Wednesday January 17, 2018, at the Human Rights Council(HRC) in Geneva, Switzerland.
The delegation was led by Senator, the Honorable Carl Wilshire Bethel, Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.

According to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), “The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a unique process which involves a review of the human rights records of all UN Member States. The UPR is a State-driven process, under the auspices of the Human Rights Council, which provides the opportunity for each State to declare what actions they have taken to improve the human rights situations in their countries and to fulfil their human rights obligations.

As one of the main features of the Council, the UPR is designed to ensure equal treatment for every country when their human rights situations are assessed. The ultimate aim of this mechanism is to improve the human rights situation in all countries and address human rights violations wherever they occur. Currently, no other universal mechanism of this kind exists.”

Caption: L-R
Ms. DeAndra Cartwright, Foreign Service Officer within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Mr. Frank Davis, Minister Counsellor/Deputy Permanent Representative & Charge d’affaires; Ms. Bernadette Butler, Minister Counsellor; Senator, The Honourable Carl Wilshire Bethel, Attorney-General; Ms. Jewel Major, Chief Counsel within the Office of the Attorney-General and Ministry of Legal Affairs; and Ms. Alicia Gibson, Assistant Counsel in the Office of the Attorney-General and Ministry of Legal Affairs.