A/HRC/44/13
Introduction
1.
The Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, established in accordance
with Human Rights Council resolution 5/1, held its thirty-fifth session from 20 to 31
January 2020. The review of Grenada was held at the 11th meeting, on 27 January 2020.
The delegation of Grenada was headed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Charles Peter
David. At its 16th meeting, held on 30 January 2020, the Working Group adopted the report
on Grenada.
2.
On 14 January 2020, the Human Rights Council selected the following group of
rapporteurs (troika) to facilitate the review of Grenada: Brazil, India and the Netherlands.
3.
In accordance with paragraph 15 of the annex to Human Rights Council resolution
5/1 and paragraph 5 of the annex to Council resolution 16/21, the following documents
were issued for the review of Grenada:
(a)
A national report submitted/written presentation made in accordance with
paragraph 15 (a) (A/HRC/WG.6/35/GRD/1);
(b)
A compilation prepared by the Office of the United Nations High
Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in accordance with paragraph 15 (b)
(A/HRC/WG.6/35/GRD/2);
(c)
A summary prepared by OHCHR in accordance with paragraph 15 (c)
(A/HRC/WG.6/35/GRD/3).
4.
A list of questions prepared in advance by Germany, Liechtenstein, Portugal, on
behalf of the Group of Friends on national mechanisms for implementation, reporting and
follow-up, Slovenia, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the
United States of America was transmitted to Grenada through the troika. These questions
are available on the website of the universal periodic review.
I. Summary of the proceedings of the review process
A.
Presentation by the State under review
5.
The head of the delegation thanked the members of the troika, namely Brazil, India
and the Netherlands, for their efficiency in transmitting the advance questions and all the
assistance given to the delegation of Grenada during the review. He also thanked OHCHR
for the information compiled in the reports of the treaty bodies and the special procedures
and the summary of the contributions by other stakeholders.
6.
The head of the delegation stated that the national report for the universal periodic
review had been elaborated using a consultative and inclusive approach involving meetings
and dialogue with several government ministries, non-governmental organizations and civil
society. The universal periodic review process had not only allowed Grenada to take a
closer look at its human rights mechanism and associated challenges but it had also given
the country the opportunity to highlight some of its human rights achievements since the
previous review, in 2015.
7.
During the period under review, the Government of Grenada had continued to work
tirelessly to strengthen and advance its human rights infrastructure, which was built upon
the Grenada Constitution Order 1973, legislative enactments and other policies, protocols
and standard operating procedures.
8.
One of the highlights of the efforts made by Grenada to expand human rights
protection was the passage of seven constitutional reform amendment bills in 2016, which
included a bill entitled “Constitution of Grenada (Rights and Freedoms) Amendment Bill
2016. That bill sought, among other things, to incorporate the principle of gender equality
into the Constitution and to broaden the concept of discrimination to include age, place of
birth, ethnicity, religion, social class and language. The head of delegation noted that
unfortunately none of the bills had garnered the requisite approval in the referendums held
in 2016, as there was strong resistance by the opposition party, civil society groups and
church groups, which argued that the definition of gender in the Constitution of Grenada
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