A/HRC/23/8 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 Bahamas was held at the 6th meeting on 23 January 2013. The delegation of Bahamas was headed by Z. C. Allyson Maynard-Gibson, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Legal Affairs. At its 10th meeting held on 25 January 2013, the Working Group adopted the report on Bahamas. 2. On 14 January 2013, the Human Rights Council selected the following group of rapporteurs (troika) to facilitate the review of Bahamas: Costa Rica, Gabon and Pakistan. 3. In accordance with paragraph 15 of the annex to Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 and paragraph 5 of the annex to resolution 16/21, the following documents were issued for the review of Bahamas: (a) A national report submitted/written presentation made in accordance with paragraph 15 (a) (A/HRC/WG.6/15/BHS/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.6/15/BHS/2); (c) A summary prepared by OHCHR in accordance with paragraph 15 (c) (A/HRC/WG.6/15/BHS/3). 4. A list of questions prepared in advance by Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia, Spain and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland were transmitted to Bahamas 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 Head of Delegation congratulated the President of the Human Rights Council and thanked the troika members for the assistance rendered to her delegation in this process. 6. The Head of Delegation pointed out that their participation in this process was indicative of the significance which the Bahamas attributed to the promotion and protection of fundamental freedoms and human rights. 7. The Head of Delegation explained that the modern history of the Bahamas began with a quest for religious freedoms as, throughout the centuries, the people who settled these islands had assimilated a respect for human rights and the rule of law which continued to thrive. The Bahamas had been a place of refuge to tens of thousands of immigrants from Haiti, who had found access to employment, free education, health and social services, and full affirmation of their rights and dignity as people. Added to this matrix was a long and proud history of democracy and the rule of law, with a system of parliamentary democracy which could be traced back unbroken to 1729, making it the third oldest parliamentary system in the Western Hemisphere. It currently operated a vibrant participatory democracy based on the principle of separation of powers, with a Constitution providing for entrenched fundamental rights, an independent judiciary to enforce those rights and strong institutions 3