UN Human Rights in Guinea

Profile

UN Human Rights in Guinea has a comprehensive mandate covering technical cooperation, monitoring and protection functions. The Office supports the establishment and functioning of a national human rights institution and transitional justice mechanisms, Security and Justice Sector reform, monitors and reports on the human rights situation, furthers Guinea engagement with human rights mechanisms, builds capacities and raises awareness with the view to deepening a culture for human rights respect. In the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, the work of the Office has been refocused on monitoring the response of the Government and other humanitarian agencies to the Covid-19, and on advocating for the integration of human rights principles in the response to the pandemic.

Achievements

• OHCHR has been instrumental in supporting reforms in the justice and security sectors to bring them in line with international standards. Criminal laws, military and police ethics and code of conduct were thus revamped.
• The office produced training modules for security forces and trained trainers on their use;  and continuous assessment reveals improvement in the performance of the alumni as exemplified by the decrease in violations related to arrest and detention.
• OHCHR's sustained advocacy has secured investigation in the events of  28 September 2009 , followed by the setting up of a steering committee for the related trial of which the Office is a member.
• The Office keeps the delayed transitional justice process on the agenda through continued a  dvocacy and networking with other actors. The law establishing a "Truth-Justice-Reconciliation" Commission is thus in the pipeline. OHCHR galvanizes support of the Diplomatic Community in both regards.
• The office technically supported the adoption of a law on the promotion and the protection of the rights of people living with disability. Other bills are forthcoming, including on the rights of people living with albinism, and on the protection of human rights defenders.
• Thanks to OHCHR technical support, Guinea has established an interministerial committee tasked with drafting reports to Treaty Bodies and other human rights mechanisms. The country has thus submitted reports under CAT, CRMW, CRC-OP-AC, CRC-OP-SC, and ICCPR. The country successfully went through the latest UPR review in 2015. The Office extended the same support to CSO in drafting their 'shadow' report.
• Additionally, the Office has supported the adoption of a national policy for the promotion and the protection of human right, and the setting up of civil society and groups in furtherance of a greater respect for human rights. These include human rights monitors and women human rights defenders.
• Monitoring, networking and sharing findings on human rights equally spreads human rights knowledge, but also secures protection and redress. Indeed, around around 90 illegal detainees have been released from January 2017 to June 2018  illegal detainees have been released thanks to OHCHR monitoring, advocacy and advice.
• OHCHR provided support to the national human rights institution and civil society  to promote human rights in the context of elections.
• OHCHR monitored human rights in the context of the 22 March 2020 parliamentary elections and constitutional referendum, emphasizing the  importance of human rights for peaceful, inclusive and credible elections in the country.
• The Office advocated with the Guinean authorities for the integration of a human rights-based approach to the COVID-19 response

Partners and Donors

Partners: Government of Guinea, Parliament, INHRI, UNCT, Civil society organizations, Diplomatic Corps.

Donors: France, Germany, PBSO, OIF, Belgium.

UN Human Rights Focus Areas

Last reviewed: November 2020