A/HRC/43/2
1.
Views expressed by the State under review on the recommendations and/or
conclusions, its voluntary commitments and the outcome
529. The head of delegation, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary and
Permanent Representative of the Republic of Fiji to the United Nations Office and other
international organizations in Geneva, Nazhat Shameem Khan, stated that Fiji placed great
importance on the universal periodic review process and appreciated the immense value of a
peer review which was constructive and informed by the experiences of other States. Fiji was
pleased to see that the number of States participating in the review of Fiji had doubled since
the second cycle review.
530. Fiji stated that human rights was a catalyst for transformative change and that it
recognized that the universal periodic review mechanism and process was a vehicle through
which such change took place. Following the second cycle review of Fiji, it had abolished
the death penalty, ratified all core human rights instruments, became a State party to the
United Nations Convention of Transnational and Organised Crime and its three Protocols,
including the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, and passed
legislation aimed at implementing Convention rights into domestic laws and policies.
531. Following the third cycle review, Fiji had received strong and constructive
recommendations, including on the integration of human rights in climate policy, in building
resilience and better responding to disasters, and strengthening legislation to protect, promote
and preserve the human rights of women, children, persons with disabilities, LGBT persons,
and indeed all Fijians.
532. It stated that it had received concrete recommendations on accelerating gender and
human rights training for law enforcement agencies, strengthening policies for the protection
of children, on ensuring that LGBT persons are included in national policies on hate crime
and hate speech, and on ensuring a consistency between our domestic law and Constitutional
rights and freedoms.
533. Fiji stated that these were important recommendations that would transform Fiji
progressively and help in the advancement of its human rights journey. Fiji did not pretend
to have all the answers to its challenges. However, it did recognise the important role of the
peer review process in helping it to achieve progress and furthering substantive equality and
justice.
534. Fiji thanked the Human Rights Council and all States which had participated in the
review. Fiji had begun and would continue the important work of implementing the accepted
recommendations and continued to count on States’ support in this regard.
2.
Views expressed by Member and observer States of the Council on the outcome of the
review
535. During the adoption of the outcome of the review of Fiji, 12 delegations made
statements.**
536. Vanuatu commended the establishment of a robust legislative and policy framework
to mitigate and adapt to climate change and to build a strong and resilient society in the face
of negative effects of climate change and natural disasters.
537. Solomon Islands recognized the efforts to implement human rights obligations under
various international conventions, including efforts to address the impacts of climate change
through numerous adaptation mechanisms. It welcomed the acceptance by Fiji of many of
** The statements of the delegations that were unable to deliver them owing to time constraints which
were made available are posted on the extranet of the Human Rights Council, at
https://extranet.ohchr.org/sites/hrc/HRCSessions/RegularSessions/43session/Pages/default.aspx
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