Concludes General Debate on Human Rights Bodies and Mechanisms

GENEVA (23 September 2016) - The Human Rights Council at its midday meeting held a general debate on the Universal Periodic Review.  It also concluded its general debate on human rights bodies and mechanisms.
 
In the general debate on the Universal Periodic Review, speakers underlined that the power of the Universal Periodic Review was in the effective implementation of the accepted recommendations.  States were urged to strengthen their focus on the implementation of previous recommendations.  A key to the success of the Universal Periodic Review was the objective review of each country in a non-selective and non-confrontational manner.  Technical assistance and capacity building were all essential for the implementation of the Universal Periodic Review recommendations.  One speaker said that with the exception of a handful of meaningful questions, the Universal Periodic Review amounted to a mutual praise society.
 
Speaking were Slovakia on behalf of the European Union, Viet Nam on behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Sudan on behalf of the Arab Group, India, Paraguay, Pakistan, Cuba, Georgia, Morocco, China, Namibia, Brazil, Libya, Sudan, Iran, and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
 
Also taking the floor were the following civil society organizations: International Bar Association, Human Rights Law Centre, UPR Info, Alliance Defending Freedom, Maarij Foundation for Peace and Development, Alsalam Foundation, Americans for Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain, Iraqi Development Organization, United Nations Watch, Association Bharathi Centre Culturel Franco-Tamoul, Rencontre Africaine Pour la Defense des Droits de l'Homme, Conseil international pour le soutien à des procès équitables et aux Droits de l’Homme, Association des étudiants tamouls de France, Association Solidarite Internationale pour l’Afrique, Verein Sudwind Entwicklungspolitik, World Environment and Resource Council, Commission to Study the Organization of Peace, International Association for Democracy in Africa, Pan African Union for Science and Technology, African Regional Agricultural Credit Association, United Schools International, European Union of Public Relations, Canners International Permanent Committee, Centre for Environmental and Management Studies, and International Committee for the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas.  
 
At the beginning of the meeting, the Council concluded its general debate on human rights bodies and mechanisms.  The first part of this general debate was held on 21 September and a summary can be found here.
 
During the general debate on human rights bodies and mechanisms, speakers drew attention to the persecution of religious and ethnic minorities, repression of peasant organizations fighting for tenants’ right to land, intimidation and reprisal against human rights defenders who cooperated with the United Nations, and the continued vulnerability of indigenous women and children to violence.  Alleged violations in a number of regions and countries were also raised.
 
Speaking were: International Islamic Federation of Student Organizations, World Barua Organization, Mbororo Social and Cultural Development Association, Alsalam Foundation, Americans For Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain, World Environment and Resources Council, Commission to Study the Organization of Peace, International Association for Democracy in Africa, Pan African Union for Science and Technology, United Schools International, Prahar, United Nations Watch, European Union of Public Relations, Canners International Permanent Committee, Centre for Environmental and Management Studies, International Committee for the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas, American Association of Jurists, Liberation, Rencontre Africaine pour la Defense des Droits de l’Homme, Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development, Conseil international pour le soutien à des procès équitables et aux Droits de l’Homme, Association Bharathi Centre Culturel Franco-Tamoul, Association for the Protection of Women and Children’s Rights, Association of World Citizens, Fundacion Latinoamericana por los Derechos Humanos y Desarollo Social, Association Solidarité Internationale pour l’Afrique, International Muslim Women’s Union, Verein Sudwind Entwicklungspolitik, Centre Independent de Recherces et d’Initiatives pour le Dialogue, Commission africaine des promoteurs de la santé, International Institutes for Non-aligned Studies, Indian Council of Education, and International Association of Democratic Lawyers.
 
The Council will next hold a general debate on the human rights situation in Palestine and other occupied Arab territories. 
 
General Debate on Human Rights Bodies and Mechanisms
 
International Islamic Federation of Student Organizations said the Government of India had blatantly rejected the High Commissioner’s appeal to allow fact-finding missions to Indian-occupied Kashmir, and outlined some measures taken in recent times, naming individual people who had suffered alleged human rights violations such as Sumiya Yousaf, a journalist who had been beaten and had her car damaged by Government forces.
 
World Barua Organization said that the Government in India was allowing the construction of a dam, which would be 2,800 meters high.  Large numbers of indigenous people would be displaced by the dam.  The Working Group on Business and Human Rights and the Special Rapporteur on Indigenous People should be invited to visit, and the Armed Forces Special Powers Act should be repealed as a matter of urgency.
 
Mbororo Social and Cultural Development Association said the situation of the indigenous people of Tripura was pathetic because of the illegal importation of Hindus, causing a population explosion.  The people of Tripura were facing a crisis of identity in their own land and had been reduced to a minority because of this importation.  Self-determination was called for.  The Human Rights Council was called on to hold a dialogue with the Government of India to find a solution.
 
Alsalam Foundation raised collective concern about the acts of reprisals against human rights defenders and civil society in Bahrain who had been attempting to engage with the Council.  For the second consecutive session, Bahrain had used arbitrary travel bans to restrict civil society from travelling to Geneva to participate in the Human Rights Council.
 
Americans for Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain called attention to the long-standing and ongoing human rights violations by Saudi Arabia, which, since joining the Council in 2014, had carried out gross and systematic human rights violations and had used its diplomatic weight to silence civil society and bully the United Nations and senior diplomats.  This was appalling.
 
World Environment and Resources Council welcomed the initiative by the Chair of the Working Group on the draft declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples, small farmers and peasants, which would help ensure that State policies affecting rural livelihoods were consistent with human rights approaches and addressed poverty due to land loss and climate change.  The draft declaration would be particularly important for Gilgit Baltistan in Pakistan, which was adversely affected by the contribution of several mega dams.
 
Commission to Study the Organization of Peace noted that religious minorities faced discrimination and were persecuted in many countries.  In Iran, those persecutions targeted Christians, Sunni Muslims, Sufis and others, including the Baha’is community, which was not even recognized by the Iranian Constitution.  The sudden pouring of Muslim refugees coming from India, known as Mujahirs, had resulted in Sindhis becoming a minority in their own land in Pakistan. 
 
International Association for Democracy in Africa underlined that peasant organizations fighting for tenants’ right to land continued to face brutal repression in Pakistan’s Punjab province.  Pakistani authorities regularly resorted to draconian laws and excessive force against tenant farmers in Punjab.  The police had registered the farmers of Okara under anti-terrorism law.  
 
Pan African Union for Science and Technology said that the situation of peasants in the Balochistan region of Pakistan was grim.  Under the pretext of development projects under the proposed China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, the lands of the indigenous Baloch farmers had been grabbed and farmers had been subjected to forceful evictions by the Pakistani army.  
 
United Schools International said that Pakistan was home to the second largest Shi’a population in the world, whose members had become the primary victims of terrorist violence, with the Government remaining apathetic if not complicit in the violence, and the Sunni majority continuing to look the other way.  The non-governmental organization also spoke of violations against other minorities, including Hindus, Sikh, Jews, and Ahmadis.
 
Prahar recalled the equality of rights for all in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and said that in north-east India, levels of extreme poverty were particularly high among indigenous people.  Many lived in degrading conditions, and those minorities were deprived of their cultural identity and their economic, social and cultural rights.  
 
United Nations Watch continued to believe that the selection criteria for electing members of the Advisory Committee should be their personal contributions in the field of human rights, high moral standing, and independence and impartiality.  The non-governmental organization questioned whether those criteria were met in the candidate for the Western Group’s seat.
 
European Union of Public Relations said that the minorities of Pakistan faced severe discrimination.  Peaceful calls to end attacks on minorities were met with violence, arbitrary arrests, torture, unfair trials and even executions by the regime.  In the province of Balochistan, torture of political opponents by security forces had become routine.  Both the Baloch tribal militants and Pakistani military had increasingly sought military solutions to their disagreements.
 
Canners International Permanent Committee stated that religion was just one of several factors responsible for creating discrimination in Pakistan.  Even Muslims from the minority sects of Islam had been victimized by extremist activities.  Shi’a Muslims faced most damaging consequences of religious intolerance in the country, as well as the Ahmadi community. 
 
Centre for Environmental and Management Studies noted that institutional structures of Pakistan supported landowners’ abuses of the rights of peasants.  Although Pakistan legislated against bonded labour under the Bonded Labour System Act of 1992, implementation was lax or largely ineffective since landowners had become the face of the State in the executive, judicial and legislative branches at the provincial level.
 
International Committee for the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas said that the collective rights of the indigenous peoples existed and recalled the rules governing free, prior and informed consent.  The land of many indigenous peoples in Hawaii and Alaska continued to be given away.  The non-governmental organization diplomatically protested the illegal land reclamation by the United States Government.
 
American Association of Jurists recognized the dilemma between the protection of private interests and the international obligations related to human rights and stressed that the activities of vulture funds were not only damaging to heavily indebted poor countries, but also to local administrations and central governments in Western countries.  Such was the case of the European Central Bank which had acted as a vulture fund in relation to Greek sovereign bonds.
 
Liberation welcomed the draft United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other Persons Working in Rural Areas.  The pattern of land ownership in India accentuated extreme poverty and food insecurity of farmers, and in particular Dalits, who were often denied the right to own the land and were deprived of their sources of livelihoods.
 
Rencontre Africaine pour la Défense des Droits de l’Homme underlined that indigenous women and children were most vulnerable to violence.  Since the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, multiple forms of discrimination against them had continued.  It attached importance to the protection of indigenous peoples’ culture, knowledge and genetic resources, and their protection from misuse.
 
Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development echoed the Secretary-General’s recommendation to States to prevent intimidation and reprisal against human rights defenders who cooperated with the United Nations, to raise awareness about such issues, and to ensure accountability in cases that did occur.  The Forum was deeply concerned about the increasing use of social media by State and non-State actors as a tool for intimidation.
 
Conseil international pour le soutien à des procès équitables et aux Droits de l’Homme  drew attention to the violations of human rights and the massacre of children in Yemen under attacks led by Saudi Arabia.  That country should be placed on a list of shame.  Saudi Arabia was impeding access of humanitarian workers in Yemen.  Both the Governments of Saudi Arabia and Yemen were extremely abusive of human rights.   
 
Association Bharati Centre Culturel Franco-Tamoul said that because of the military occupation by Sri Lanka, the Tamil civil society could  unfortunately not engage with the Council’s mechanisms.  The Government elected over a year and a half ago had already dashed hopes for a federal solution, and there was no change in the underlying structural genocide being carried out against the homeland of Tamils.
 
Association for the Protection of Women and Children’s Rights said that human rights bodies and mechanisms played a vital role in the promotion and protection of human rights.  The Association was deeply concerned about acts of reprisals against individuals and organizations in Indian-occupied Kashmir for cooperating with the United Nations human rights mechanisms. 
 
Association of World Citizens said that the Government of Yemen hindered the work of independent national human rights institutions which had the mandate to support civil society and investigate human rights violations, and had been put in place with the support of several donor countries.  The coup d’état had put an end to all positive developments in the country.
 
Fundacion Latinoamericana por los Derechos Humanos y Desarollo Social drew attention to victims of identity fraud in Venezuela and called the Venezuelan opposition to take responsibility for that act.  The identity of 10,995 deceased citizens had been stolen, alongside 9,333 signatures and 3,000 signatures of persons below the age of 18, for the purpose of the referendum for the revocation of the President.
 
Association Solidarité Internationale pour l’Afrique noted that human rights Special Procedures constituted one of the most important mechanisms of the Council, yet they had gravely failed to protect Eelam Tamils from genocide in 2009 in Sri Lanka.  It requested the Council to appoint a Special Representative to visit the north and east of Sri Lanka to determine the nature of the structural genocide of Eelam Tamils.
 
International Muslim Women’s Union drew attention to India’s continued denial of the grave human rights situation in the Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.  The culture of impunity for alleged violations of international law invited further transgressions and the victims of the past had become victims again. 
 
Verein Sudwind Entwicklungspolitik said that it was worrisome that Iran had responded to only 11 per cent of communications from Special Procedures mandate holders.  Concern was expressed over the health situation of several prisoners; Mehdi Rajabian had been newly diagnosed with a neurological disease and had begun a hunger strike.  The accusations against him were vastly interpretable and were based only on his using his legitimate peaceful right to freedom of expression.
 
Centre Independent de Recherces et d’Initiatives pour le Dialogue welcomed the adoption of the Gulf Cooperation Council Human Rights Declaration, and noted that it would complement regional instruments, such as instruments in the Americas and Africa.  The Human Rights Council should use the notion of cultural relativism in its conceptual understanding of human rights.  All international actors should respect cultural and traditional relativism in assessing human rights situations.
 
Commission africaine des promoteurs de la santé et des droits de l’homme spoke about the situation in Kashmir, where young men and children had fallen to bullets.  Almost 400 young boys had lost their sight.  The bullets had been shot to kill.  That was a criminal act under international law.  The killing of innocent people was being done under a plan to eliminate the young generation of Kashmir to make the majority population demographically vulnerable.
 
International Institute for Non-aligned Studies said that indigenous peoples faced discrimination due to their lifestyles and their way of life.  As guardians of the land, losing it meant a loss of identity.  Their land was often rich in resources, and had often been plundered by private companies.  Indigenous rights activists faced murder when seeking to defend their lands. 
 
Indian Council of Education noted that indigenous peoples had been neglected in various segments of society, such as lack of political representation and participation, economic marginalization and poverty, lack of access to social services, and discrimination.  Their cultures continued to be threatened and the protection of their rights had been resisted.
 
International Association of Democratic Lawyers stressed that the rights of peasants required urgent protection in the current context of the need to feed nine billion people by 2050.  It asked for an inclusive definition of their special relationship with land which defined their social and economic rights, political identity, and their cultural and religious life in rural areas.
 
General Debate on the Universal Periodic Review
 
Slovakia, speaking on behalf of the European Union, said that the power of the Universal Periodic Review was in the effective implementation of the accepted recommendations.  States were urged to strengthen their focus on the implementation of previous recommendations.  Gratitude was expressed to civil society for contributions toward developing mid-term reports; those reports should be made available via the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights website. 
 
Viet Nam, speaking on behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, reaffirmed its commitment to the Universal Periodic Review.  A key to the success of the Universal Periodic Review was it being a mechanism where each country was objectively reviewed.  The Universal Periodic Review had to continue to be conducted in a non-selective and non-confrontational manner.  National mechanisms were best placed to translate recommendations into action for citizens. 
 
Sudan, speaking on behalf of the Arab Group, said that the General Assembly had adopted its resolution in 2006 on the Universal Periodic Review, which was considered one of the most important resolutions.  The cooperation by countries during the first and second cycles had become a cornerstone of this process.  Full support was reiterated for the Universal Periodic Review in accordance with the regulations laid down, which called for transparency, constructiveness and equal treatment.   
 
India, speaking on behalf of a group of countries, stated that the Universal Periodic Review was the key mechanism which set the Council apart from its predecessor.   The Office of the High Commissioner’s technical support to a number of countries was very much appreciated.  Rules and regulations of the Universal Periodic Review process ought to be adhered to. Implementation of the Universal Periodic Review recommendations was of paramount importance.  Issues of capacity constraints could be addressed through capacity-building support.
 
Paraguay, speaking on behalf of a group of countries, stressed the importance of the establishment of follow-up systems to the recommendations of human rights treaty bodies.  They could help States bridge the gap between their international obligations and realities on the ground.  The groups of countries invited all States to actively participate in the discussions related to the initiative on the development of follow-up systems.
 
Pakistan, speaking on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, said that the Universal Periodic Review enjoyed the full support of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.  The success of that mechanism had been felt at both national and international levels, and it had helped develop a collaborative space for States and a wide range of stakeholders.  The Universal Periodic Review was a unique cooperative mechanism, which ensured universal coverage and equal treatment by all States. 
 
Cuba said that the Council’s Universal Periodic Review represented an improvement over the Commission, but the Council had unfortunately not dealt with double standards in dealing with human rights.  There was a need for the international community to safeguard the Universal Periodic Review as a mechanism for genuine exchange.  Its legitimacy needed to be strengthened on the principles of universality.  The Universal Periodic Review was a useful instrument.
 
Georgia said that looking to the next cycle, all actors involved in the process should follow established principles and rules.  A strong focus on the implementation side of the process should be strengthened.  Georgia welcomed the voluntary mid-term reports as a contribution to a more transparent process.  Georgia acknowledged the necessity of enhancing the role of parliaments in the Universal Periodic Review process.
 
Morocco said that the strengthening of the Universal Periodic Review was a priority for Morocco, and the forum should remain a reference point and a useful yardstick.  The submission of mid-term reports was a practice supported by Morocco.  The success of the Universal Periodic Review was clear to see; in a decade it had become a cornerstone of the human rights system.  Few mechanisms could have achieved such universality.  All politicization should therefore be avoided, as should redundancy.
  
China believed that the Universal Periodic Review provided all countries with an effective platform to exchange views and share best practices.  China was ready to continue to engage with other countries in that process.  China hoped that all parties would stick to the principles of objectivity and non-politicization.  Technical assistance and capacity building were essential for the implementation of the Universal Periodic Review recommendations.  There was no need to change Universal Periodic Review modalities.
 
Namibia stated that the Universal Periodic Review mechanism was rated by States and civil society as the most successful of all mechanisms of the Human Rights Council, as it served for the review of human rights in all Member States of the United Nations.  Namibia encouraged national consultations in which non-governmental organizations and governments engaged on a regular basis to discuss the progress of implementation, and it would enable all parties to cooperate and effectively implement recommendations.

Brazil congratulated the active participation and spirit of all countries that had been in the Universal Periodic Review.  It particularly commended the countries in its region for their efforts.  Brazil commended Suriname and urged it to strengthen its legal framework for the protection of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual persons.  It praised St. Vincent and the Grenadines in its fight against the scourge of sexual trafficking, and encouraged Trinidad and Tobago to combat overall violence against women.
 
Libya welcomed the general debate on the Universal Periodic Review mechanism as a chance to exchange views and practices on human rights.  Libya reaffirmed its full commitment to implement the Universal Periodic Review recommendations through its commitment to work transparently and cooperate with all mechanisms.  Huge challenges accompanied the political transformation of Libya, and it was still in need of international cooperation and support for its transitional process, as well as technical cooperation.
 
Sudan said the Universal Periodic Review represented a unique tool that ensured assessing the promotion and protection of human rights by all countries on an equal footing.  Paying tribute to the role of the Universal Periodic Review, Sudan said that it allowed States to assess measures taken to promote human rights.  Sudan had accepted 74 recommendations during the previous session.
 
Iran maintained that the practice of selective approaches exploited and undermined the protection and promotion of human rights.  Universality and objectivity were of utmost importance.  Iran firmly believed that the Universal Periodic Review was important to the promotion of human rights. However some concerns had been raised with regard to the implementation of the Universal Periodic Review recommendations.  Iran reiterated that  principles like universality and objectivity would not be compromised.   
 
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees spoke in the context of Malaysia’s mid-term review.  Malaysia had accepted two recommendations which if implemented would improve the situation for asylum seekers and refugees in the country.  The first addressed the absence of a legal and administrative framework for asylum-seekers and refugees, and the second related to conditions in detention facilities.
                             
International Bar Association, in a joint statement with International Lesbian and Gay Association said that only six per cent of the recommendations asking for decriminalizing consensual same-sex relationships had been accepted.  There had been alarmingly few recommendations addressing specific issues that were important to trans and intersex persons.  It was recommended that all challenges specific to each of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex groups be addressed.
 
Human Rights Law Centre said that Australia’s implementation of the Universal Periodic Review recommendations on youth detention remained wholly inadequate.  Ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture was also a prominent recommendation.  The Australian Government was urged to adopt human rights-compliant youth justice laws and policies.
 
UPR Info said it was States that were the driving force of the Universal Periodic Review.  They were ultimately responsible for the functioning of the international human rights mechanisms.  Nine years since the beginning of the Universal Periodic Review, all knew what worked, and what could be considered a good practice.  This was why UPR Info believed that for an effective third cycle, two elements had to be prioritised by States: implementation and reporting.
 
Alliance Defending Freedom expressed its concern about the proliferation of comments and recommendations at the Universal Periodic Review on issues involving sexual orientation and gender identity, both in general, as well as through the promotion in particular of same-sex marriage as a fundamental human right.  The Council’s recent and increasing treatment of this concept as a human rights category and specific class of protection from discrimination was problematic.
 
Maarij Foundation for Peace and Development said it highly appreciated the role of the Human Rights Council in the promotion of human rights and commended the response of the Government of Sudan.  Human rights violations endured by the Sudanese citizens were caused by the blockade imposed by the United States and the Council should look into them, in light of the report of the Special Rapporteur on unilateral coercive measures.  Maarij Foundation called upon the Sudanese Government to sign and ratify the remaining conventions on human rights.
 
Alsalam Foundation drew attention to the drama of persons who had been fired from banking institutions after the events of February 2011 in Bahrain and were facing discrimination.  Those who had been fired had tried to take steps to force the Government to fulfil its obligations toward them.
 
Americans for Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain drew attention to the upcoming third cycle of the Universal Periodic Review of Bahrain which had accepted 176 recommendations from its second cycle, but had only made progress on three of them.  The Government needed to continue to reform its criminal justice system, curb the use of torture, and institute real protection for basic human rights, like freedom of expression, association and assembly.
 
Iraqi Development Organization said that the Yemeni Transitional Government had failed to implement any of the Universal Periodic Review recommendations, and in particular to ratify the Rome Statue, which was essential to establish the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court over the crimes committed within Yemen.  Yemen should ratify the Rome Statute and adopt the provisions enabling the cooperation with the International Criminal Court.
 
United Nations Watch supported the Universal Periodic Review mechanism, and noted that soon, Venezuela would be reviewed.  In practice, the effectiveness of the reviews was questioned.  For example, China had praised Saudi Arabia for its record on women’s rights.  With the exception of a handful of meaningful questions, the Universal Periodic Review amounted to a mutual praise society.
 
Association Bharathi Centre Culturel Franco-Tamoul said that Sri Lanka had been reviewed under the Universal Periodic Review.  Many recommendations had been rejected by the Government.  When the Sri Lankan army had killed Tamils, United Nations mechanisms could not protect that population.  The ongoing marginalization of the Tamils continued today.  Tamil women were directly affected by the occupation.  The international community should protect the Tamil people.
 
Rencontre Africaine pour la Défense des Droits de l’Homme said that in order to tackle challenges and assure the success of the third cycle of the Universal Periodic Review, a consultation should be held with stakeholders.  Some States’ attitudes, refusing the visit of Special Procedures mandate holders, were deplored.  Cooperation with the Council should mean openness.  Donor countries should continue to contribute to the Universal Periodic Review Voluntary Trust Fund.
 
Conseil International pour le soutien à des procès équitables et aux Droits de l’Homme drew attention to the situation in Yemen where a blatant violation of the rights to education and health was being committed by Saudi Arabia.  Instead of cooperating on the building of education and health infrastructure, the Government of Yemen, with Saudi Arabia as an ally, had destroyed 254 medical installations, and was targeting health and education infrastructure.  This called for an impartial investigation.
 
Association des étudiants tamouls de France said in 2012, a number of recommendations had been made with regard to Sri Lanka, however, these had been rejected by the Government of Sri Lanka, which had failed to protect the Tamil people from genocide.  The Association urged the Government of Sri Lanka to implement these recommendations, including to cancel oppressive laws, to end discrimination against Tamils, as well as to hold security forces accountable.
 
Association Solidarité Internationale pour l’Afrique said the recommendations that had been made in 2012 with regard to Sri Lanka had been totally rejected by the Sri Lankan Government.  In 2009 the Government had killed more than 137,000 Tamils.  The Government refused to end ongoing discrimination against Tamils.  The marginalisation, exclusion and murder of Tamils continued.  The Government still occupied lands in north and east of Sri Lanka.  
 
Verein Sudwind Entwicklungspolitik said that all Universal Periodic Review recommendations should be arranged in a way that if accepted, their achievement before the next cycle would be feasible.  For example, Iran had accepted 123 of its recommendations, but more than six years later, there had been no tangible efforts to implement them.
 
World Environment and Resource Council said that since its previous review, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines had progressively sought to advance human rights by strengthening its national institutional and legal framework.  An ongoing anti-violence campaign launched in 2014 focused on increasing the awareness of gender-based violence among children and communities.
 
Commission to Study the Organization of Peace said that Tajikistan was implementing a policy of zero tolerance to torture and had brought the definition of torture in the Criminal Code in line with Article 1 of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.  Several other legal and policy measures had been taken to implement the recommendations from Tajikistan’s first review to combat torture.
 
International Association for Democracy in Africa noted that Swaziland had enacted comprehensive protective legislation for children in 2012, which sought to provide protection for children from abuse and to promote their welfare and best interests.  It had also implemented commitments to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women. 
 
Pan African Union for Science and Technology said that Greece guaranteed the fundamental human rights of all its citizens and strived to protect the rights of vulnerable persons.  In March 2015 a law had been adopted to ensure the provision of basic goods and services to persons and families living in extreme poverty.  The ongoing pension reform aimed at developing a fair and rational social security system.
 
African Regional Agricultural Credit Association said that Papua New Guinea made sure that all human rights of its citizens were protected, including the respect for the rule of law, sustainable economic growth, promotion of inclusive societies, environmental protection, and actions to mitigate the effects of climate change.  It was committed to combatting gender-based violence on all levels.
 
United Schools International stated that the Constitutional Review Act of Tanzania had provided for transparency and inclusion of the views of people at all stages of the constitutional review process.  The country had increased the minimum wage and social security laws had been amended.  There had also been progress in the number of women in decision-making positions.  
 
European Union of Public Relations said that Samoa was committed to national and international engagement through undertaking human rights training, outreach and awareness-raising campaigns throughout the country.  The national human rights institution had been working towards its accreditation in compliance with the principles relating to the status of national institutions.
 
Canners International Permanent Committee said that Suriname was ethnically one of the most diverse societies in the Americas and the Caribbean.  The support for democracy was high, and there were strong, stable democratic attitudes and institutions in the country.  The removal of the death penalty from the penal code was a first step toward arriving at the ratification of the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty.
 
Centre for Environmental and Management Studies said that the Government of Hungary had embarked on a comprehensive reform of the penal system to bring it in line with international law.  A new criminal code had entered into force in July 2013; the Government had established a policy of zero tolerance against xenophobia and racism.  Since 2015, Hungary had been facing a migration crisis without precedent. 
 
International Committee for the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas, in a joint statement with Indian Council of South America (CISA) said the United States had refused to accept the recommendation of Pakistan to respond to the suggestion by the United Nations Special Procedures with regard to the cases of Alaska, Hawaii and the Dakotas.  No State could use domestic law to settle its international obligations.  The United States wanted a “free pass” concerning Article 73 of the United Nations Charter.  Reminding that the United States could not use the interference principle in this respect, the Committee protested the illegal occupation of Alaska, Hawaii and the Dakotas by the United States.

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