A/HRC/10/70
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recommended the abolition of the death penalty and that a moratorium be immediately decreed
with respect to all executions. It asked the Bahamas to put en end to corporal punishment in
schools and in the home. Article 1.10 of the Penal Code needs to be revised. Haiti requested
information on specific measures taken to address allegations of the use of excessive force by
security forces, and also asked the Bahamas to provide an explanation for the high levels of
reported rapes in the country.
49.
Botswana recognized the achievements in establishing an enabling institutional legal
framework to ensure the respect and protection of fundamental rights and freedoms in the
Bahamas. It commended the Bahamas for successfully ratifying many of the core international
human rights instruments, thereby confirming the Government’s commitment. It noted the
willingness of the Bahamas to make further attempts at the national level for legislative review
with a view to improving existing legislation relating to a cross-cutting array of sectors. By way
of recommendation, Botswana joined the others in a goodwill message supporting the
Government’s decision to ratify other key human rights treaties, as reflected at paragraph 32 of
their national report (the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights). In conclusion, and noting the
constraints and challenges alluded to by the Bahamas, Botswana hoped that the international
community would extend its goodwill and support to the Government, particularly in human
rights training in support of their stated plans and programmes, to fully meet their national and
international human rights obligations.
50.
Djibouti noted the intention of the Bahamas to give place to the civil society in the
national report and regretted that, owing to lack of time, its involvement was not possible. It was
encouraged that a frank and constructive dialogue was promoted on the national level in order to
find domestic solutions to the country’s problems. The national dialogue and the results of
fruitful interaction with treaty bodies have certainly strengthened the Government’s
determination to improve existing legislation and to adopt laws. Djibouti asked if these efforts
have led to the full respect of the provisions and principles of the Convention of the Rights of the
Child and if there is a national plan of action for the effective implementation of the Convention.
It noted the concerns of the State with regard to the significant constraints caused by the massive
influx of migrants and refugees. It asked whether the allegations of acts of discrimination against
refugees and migrants are well founded and, if so, what are the specific actions taken to combat
them. Djibouti also asked if there has been any intention to introduce in the criminal legislation
aggravating circumstances on the grounds of racial discrimination, as recommended by the
Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Djibouti joined previous delegations in
recommending that the State envisage actions to abolish capital punishment.
51.
The Bahamas thanked all the delegations for their support for the efforts of the Bahamas
in the protection of human rights, and noted that its commitment in that area is entrenched in the
Constitution. Over the last 35 years of independence, the Bahamas has made significant progress
in the protection of human rights and development of its society. The delegation noted that all
recommendations will be given full consideration. However, the Bahamas considered it
important to note that the report of the Committee on the Rights of the Child did not suggest as a
fact that there was widespread prostitution and that there are children involved in child
pornography in the Bahamas, but commented on the lack of specific data on the issue. The
delegation stressed that the Committee had asked the Bahamas to take measures to acquire data,
but it did not suggest that the Bahamas is a haven for child prostitution or child pornography. To
the extent these issues are a problem, the delegation assured that the protection of the child is the
utmost concern. In this regard, the Bahamas recently passed legislation to make it an offence to
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