A/HRC/23/11 Introduction 1. The Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), established in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 of 18 June 2007, held its fifteenth session from 21 January to 1 February 2013. The review of Barbados was held at the ninth meeting on 25 January 2013. The delegation of Barbados was headed by Senator R. Orlando Marville. At its 13th meeting, held on 29 January 2013, the Working Group adopted the report on Barbados 2. On 14 January 2013, the Human Rights Council selected the following group of rapporteurs (troika) to facilitate the review of Barbados: Brazil, Libya and Spain. 3. In accordance with paragraph 15 of the annex to resolution 5/1 and paragraph 5 of the annex to resolution 16/21, the following documents were issued for the review of Barbados: (a) A national report submitted/written presentation made in accordance with paragraph 15 (a) (A/HRC/WG.6/15/BRB/1); (b) A compilation prepared by OHCHR in accordance with paragraph 15 (b) (A/HRC/WG.6/15/BRB/2); (c) A summary prepared by OHCHR in accordance with paragraph 15 (c) (A/HRC/WG.6/15/BRB/3). 4. A list of questions prepared in advance by Ireland, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was transmitted to Barbados through the troika. These questions are available on the extranet of the UPR. I. Summary of the proceedings of the review process A. Presentation by the State under review 5. The delegation noted that Barbados was a small island developing State with a good record of observing human rights and with a level of good governance that had served it well since its independence in 1966. It highlighted that the country’s population was approximately 270,000 persons. Its limited human resources had not prevented the pursuit of the public good, even if it conditioned the pace at which things were accomplished. 6. Barbados recognized that, as a small developing State, the effort to meet its reporting obligations to the various treaty bodies was substantial. It added that it placed great value on meeting these obligations but that the country should be judged on how it respected the rights of others in reality and by the commitment shown to respecting the rights of the poor, the disabled, the needy and those less able to represent themselves. 7. Barbados had a long tradition of democracy and respect for the rule of law. It was recalled that as early as 1651 its inhabitants sought to determine and safeguard the freedom, safety and well-being of the island through the adoption of the Charter of Barbados, a document which formed the basis of the United States Declaration of Rights. The Constitution adopted after the country’s independence enshrined the importance of human rights and fundamental freedoms and was guided by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international and regional human rights instruments. 3