UN Human Rights Pacific Office congratulates Palau

MEDIA RELEASE
23 September 2011

United Nations Human Rights Pacific Office congratulates Palau’s human rights progress

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The United Nations Office of the High Commission for Human Rights (OHCHR) Regional Office for the Pacific congratulates the Government and people of Palau for taking a historic step forward for the promotion and protection of human rights in Palau. President and Head of State, H.E. Johnson Toribiong, showed his country’s commitment to human rights by signing eight of the core human rights treaties in New York this week.

Matilda Bogner, Regional Representative for OHCHR’s Office for the Pacific, said:

“The commitment shown by these signatures is remarkable and gives a clear message that Palau has now started a journey to provide people in the country with a stronger foundation to enjoy human rights and fundamental freedoms. It also gives a clear message of political will and leadership across the Pacific and supports the spirit of the recent Pacific Island Leaders’ Forum meeting in the area of human rights. I want to join others in conveying my sincere appreciation to the Government of Palau for this progress. I also want to reiterate the Regional Office’s readiness to assist Palau in translating this commitment into a reality on the ground.”

On 20 September, during the United Nations Treaty Event in New York, Palau signed eight human rights treaties: the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD), the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT), the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families (ICRMW), the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (CPED). Palau has been a State Party to the Convention on the Rights of the Child since 1995.

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

• OHCHR leads global Human Rights efforts and works to promote and protect the Human Rights that are guaranteed under international law and stipulated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948.

• OHCHR is headed by the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navanethem Pillay, who coordinates Human Rights activities throughout the UN System and supervises the Human Rights Council.

• OHCHR Regional Pacific Office covers 16 countries: Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.

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