St. Kitts and Nevis received welcome international feedback on Tuesday following its appearance before the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, where the Federation presented its national human rights record under the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process.
Attorney General and Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs, Garth Wilkin, described the review as a constructive and important exercise in national accountability, noting that more than 60 UN member states commended the country’s progress over the past three years.
“The Universal Periodic Review process is an important opportunity for Saint Kitts and Nevis to account for our progress and to measure ourselves against international human rights standards,” Wilkin said. “I’m encouraged that today, more than 60 member states of the UN commended the work reflected in our national report, particularly the advances made over the past three years.”
The Federation’s delegation highlighted progress in several key areas, including access to justice, gender equality, protection from gender-based violence, social protection, and environmental rights. The presentation formed part of the UN’s peer-review mechanism, which assesses the human rights performance of all member states every four and a half years.
Wilkin welcomed the recommendations put forward by international partners, describing them as an opportunity to strengthen national institutions and guide future reforms.
“I also welcome the constructive recommendations offered by our international partners, which will help guide future improvement,” he said. “We’re not perfect, but we’re getting as close as possible to being one of the most responsible countries in the world when it comes to human rights.”
The Attorney General noted that the process was intensive, with nearly 70 countries providing input, questions, and observations. Among the issues raised were the status of the death penalty, which remains on the statute books despite a de facto moratorium in place for approximately 18 years, as well as broader anti-discrimination protections.
“It’s an intense process,” Wilkin explained. “As you can see, almost 70 countries provided input. Naturally, one of the concerns raised is that the death penalty is still on our books, even though there has been a de facto moratorium for the last 18 years. That is something we have to discuss as a people and determine the way forward, along with other important anti-discrimination recommendations.”
Wilkin said the Federation will now await the final UPR report, after which the National Implementation and Monitoring Committee will review the recommendations and determine which can be adopted in a manner consistent with national priorities and values.
The Attorney General also acknowledged the coordinated effort behind the presentation, crediting the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Attorney General’s Office, the Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs, and the Ministry of Social Development and Gender Affairs for their collaboration.
“It was a very successful presentation by all reports,” Wilkin said. “We are proud of the hard work that was done. This process strengthens institutions, deepens accountability, and supports our continued commitment to protecting the rights and dignity of our people. It is an important part of nation-building.”
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