A/HRC/32/14
combating gender violence. Spain also welcomed the efforts made to implement the
“Education for All” initiative.
30.
Switzerland welcomed progress in combating violence against women, especially
the adoption of the Family Protection Act. It stressed the importance of dealing with the
past, rehabilitating the victims, combating impunity and re-establishing the rule of law to
achieve reconciliation and durable peace. Switzerland expressed concern at human rights
violations committed by some corporations active in the forest industry. It encouraged
Solomon Islands to continue to ratify international instruments to protect and respect
human rights.
31.
Trinidad and Tobago noted the steps taken to increase awareness and implement
training in relation to incidences of domestic violence as well as the criminalization of
domestic violence through the Family Protection Act. It also noted the measures taken to
improve the participation of women in political and public life. It welcomed the creation of
gender focal points within ministries and focal points on disability at the provincial level to
assist with the mainstreaming of those issues. Trinidad and Tobago applauded the fact that,
despite external shocks, in particular natural disasters, Solomon Islands continued to engage
with special procedures and complete the ratification of key ILO conventions and the
development of policy and legislation to address such matters as immigration, education,
justice and climate change.
32.
The delegation reported that, following the adoption of the Family Protection Act,
the next stage was to ensure its operationalization and implementation through the work of
the Ministry for Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs and the Ministry of Justice
and Legal Affairs. The delegation highlighted that Solomon Islands was a party to the
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and that one
of the 50 Members of Parliament was a woman and that the Government was working with
the aforementioned ministries to achieve the goals of the Convention and the objective of
gender equality.
33.
The delegation called attention to the information contained in the national report on
the Government’s position on climate change.
34.
The delegation stated that the Government was still assessing information received
from different ministries on priority to be given to the ratification of various international
instruments. The delegation emphasized that the work of the Truth and Reconciliation
Commission had been completed. Members of Parliament had received a copy of the
report. The delegation stated that the report and its recommendations were being considered
by an appointed consultant within the Office of the Prime Minister and planned proposals
for follow-up action would be presented to the Government.
35.
Responding to comments made by Slovenia, the delegation clarified that, while the
Police Act prohibited the use of corporal punishment by the police, the draft federal
Constitution permitted reasonable chastisement so long as it did not amount to torture or
inhuman treatment. The delegation stated that it was important to raise awareness in
communities and in the home that the use of corporal punishment was a violation of human
rights.
36.
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland commended the
consultative and inclusive process to take forward accepted recommendations. It welcomed
the recent Police, Immigration and Family Protection Acts and the criminalization of
smuggling and human trafficking. It urged Solomon Islands to take action to address the
continuing and disturbingly high instances of violence against women. It was concerned
that there had been no evident progress towards the decriminalization of same sex
relationships.
7
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