A/HRC/29/14
LGBTI persons was being considered within the context of the ongoing process of
constitutional reform and had been raised in several of the public consultations held
throughout Grenada. The general view in that regard was that the Constitution should not
be amended to give protection to LGBTI persons. Notwithstanding that, on 15 October
2014, the Constitutional Reform Advisory Committee had commissioned two nongovernmental organizations advocating for the rights of LGBTI persons to create a platform
for national consultations. In the end, protection for the LGBTI population would not be
one of the issues to be decided in the referendum; the Committee did not recommend that to
be an issue to go forward. Within the democratic process, it was obvious that there was not
much support for that issue nationally. It should be noted, however, that apart from the
recommendations on constitutional reform made by the Committee to the Government, the
Committee had recommended that ordinary legislation be passed with regard to “protection
against discrimination at workplaces based only on sexual orientation”.
36.
With regard to the issue of violence against women and child abuse, raised by
Mexico, Slovenia, the United Kingdom of Great Britain of Northern Ireland and other
delegations, Grenada had passed the Domestic Violence Act, which required police officers
to report and record any report of domestic violence. The Criminal Code had also been
amended; the statute of limitation with regard to sexual offences had been removed; and the
mandatory reporting by parents and guardians of minors subject to sexual offences had
been reinforced. Other sensitization and community outreach strategies to address the issue
of violence against women were also in place, such as promoting healthy relationships and
confronting myths, beliefs and practices through various activities with the support of
community organizations.
37.
Regarding the issue of corporal punishment, Grenada was cognizant of the call for
the total abolition of corporal punishment. The delegation called attention to a pilot project
being implemented in several schools and which facilitated the use of positive behaviour
management strategies, removing the need for the use of corporal punishment. The
feedback from the project had been positive and it was the intention of the Ministry of
Education to extend the programme to all schools in Grenada.
38.
Regarding juvenile justice, Grenada had made significant progress in the legislative
reform critical to the juvenile justice platform, as well as on the overall agenda to ensure
care and protection of its children and young people. Grenada had sought support to adjust
the development of the organizational structure to support the operation of the Bacolet
Juvenile Rehabilitation Centre, which was under construction and expected to open in
2015. Grenada had also increased the criminal age of responsibility to 12 years, with a
proviso in the Criminal Code that the Court could consider the level of maturity of the
child. The Juvenile Justice Programme was being moved forward with programmes for
diversion, rehabilitation and reintegration. Rehabilitation centre staff were expected to be
trained in 2015.
39.
On the issue of the establishment of a national human rights institution in
accordance with the principles relating to the status of national institutions for the
promotion and protection of human rights (the Paris Principles), Grenada would seek
technical assistance to hold a national consultation in order to strengthen knowledge on the
Paris Principles and consider the establishment of a national human rights institution.
40.
Responding to an advance question from Slovenia on the issue of the protection of
boys against sexual exploitation, Grenada reiterated that the Criminal Code had been
amended in 2012 so that the definition of sexual abuse of minors under the age of 16 now
included boys.
41.
Regarding the issue of sexual harassment, raised by Mexico and other delegations,
Grenada indicated that sexual harassment was not yet punishable by law. A draft bill had
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