As a follow up to the report of 2003 for the 'Realisation of Human Rights in the UK Overseas Territories' and the subsequent final draft in 2005, Mrs. Conolly is here in the Turks and Caicos meeting with key stakeholders in
respect of the 'Building Human Rights Capacity' in the British Overseas Territories (BOTs) of the Caribbean, Pacific and South Atlantic project.
The purpose of the meetings are to present the project's aims and activities; consult with stakeholders on their needs and priorities; to shape the projects activities to meet stakeholders' needs and gain agreement on how to take the project forward in the territory.
The four-year scheme, funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID), began in July 2007, seeks to increase Overseas Territories' commitment to international standards with regard to such issues as labour rights and the rights of children and women. Other goals include promoting dialogue between government and non-governmental organizations, along with working with the media to strengthen democracy.
Additionally, among the various activities included in the project are training seminars, technical assistance and the drafting of a preliminary report to help create a framework for laws protecting various rights in each territory.
For this project to be fruitful, Mrs. Conolly said it was incumbent on all stakeholders to participate, "as it is they who can only get from the project, that which they put into it." Moreover, "We expect that government organizations, civil society, national human rights institutions and the media - will be strong
er because of participating in this project."
The driving force behind this initiative in the Turks and Caicos, Mrs. Doreen Quelch-Missick, Human Rights Commissioner, made known that: "the Human Rights Commission is now in full swing; and now our ultimate goal is to promote and protect human rights in this country."
"Fundamental rights and freedoms is apart of our amended constitution in 2006," said Mrs. Quelch-Misick, and "is actually in the front part of the new constitution."
In February 2008, Minister of Health and Human Services, Hon. Dr. Lillian Boyce -commissioned the historical Human Rights Commission (HRC) Bill 2007 to the House of Assembly of the Turks and Caicos for debate, and later passage.
The Commissioner noted that having had this, there came the realization that individuals rights and freedoms were what was most important in our country, and the HRC
has been vested with that power to protect individual rights and freedoms. Because, "to uphold human rights is not only a personal matter, but it is a moral imperative of which the government has shown its commitment to it, and we the people of this country, has also taken and interest in promoting and protecting human rights."
"In order to be a first world country, and or to play on the international arena," noted Mrs. Quelch-Misick, "we must be apart of what is going
on." Hon. Dr. Boyce, Minister responsible for human rights said: "As a government, we believe in human rights, and we believe in the fundamental rights and freedom and of course the six core international conventions that our country signed on to."
"Human rights is important to the development of an individual. Human rights is important to the maturity your country," said the Hon. Health Minister. "Whether you will grow and mature to the aspect that any country aspire to, or whether you would be like the countries we do not want to associate with, when it comes to peoples human rights, we want to ensure tha all people in the Turks and Caicos rights are protected."
At present, consultancy meetings have been held in Anguilla and Montserrat. Bermuda is the only territory planning to abstain from the exercise, as it has recognized human rights practices. Other territories that have agreed to participate include the British Virgin Islands, the Falkland Islands, Pitcairn, Saint Helena and its dependencies.
END
NOTES TO EDITORS:
The six core United Kingdom Human Rights Conventions the Turks and Caicos signed on to are: the international convention on political and civil rights; the international convention of the rights of the child; the international convention on the economic, social and cultural rights; the convention on elimination on all forms of discrimination against women; and the convention on the elimination against torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishments.
HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION MEMBERS:
Mrs. Doreen Quelch-Misick - Chairperson
Mr. Daniel Malcolm - member
Ms. Justina Delancy - Member
Mr. Alexander Minott - Member
Mr. Dorn Fulford - Member
PHOTOS:
1) L to R: Mrs. Doreen Quelch-Misick, Human Rights Commissioner; Mrs. Marilyn Conolly, Human Rights Coordinator (Caribbean) and Hon. Dr. Lillian Boyce, Minister of Health and Human Services
2) Mrs. Marilyn Conolly, Human Rights Coordinator (Caribbean)
3) Mrs. Doreen Quelch-Misick, Human Rights Commissioner
4) Panel, L to R: Mrs. Quelch-Missick, Mrs. Conolly, Hon. Dr. Boyce, Mr. Dorn Fulford, Ms Justina Delancy, Mr. Alexander Minott and Mr. Daniel Malcolm
5) Attendees
