A/HRC/8/48 Page 3 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 second session from 5 to 19 May 2008. The review of the Kingdom of Tonga was held at the 14th meeting on 14 May 2008. The delegation of Tonga was headed by His Excellency, Mr. Sonatane Tu’akinamolahi Taumoepeau Tupou, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Acting Minister of Defence and Acting Governor of Vava’u. For the composition of the delegation, composed of 5 members, see annex below. At its 17th meeting held on 19 May 2008, the Working Group adopted the present report on the Kingdom of Tonga. 2. On 28 February 2008, the Human Rights Council selected the following group of rapporteurs (troika) to facilitate the review of the Kingdom of Tonga: Nigeria, Qatar and Mexico. 3. In accordance with paragraph 15 of the annex to resolution 5/1, the following documents were issued for the review of the Kingdom of Tonga: (a) A national report submitted in accordance with paragraph 15 (a) (A/HRC/WG.6/2/TON/1); (b) A compilation prepared by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), in accordance with paragraph 15 (b) (A/HRC/WG.6/2/TON/2); (c) A summary prepared by OHCHR, in accordance with paragraph 15 (c) (A/HRC/WG.6/2/TON/3). 4. A list of questions prepared in advance by Latvia, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and was transmitted to the Kingdom of Tonga 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. At the 14th meeting, on 14 May 2008, His Excellency, Mr. Sonatane Tu’akinamolahi Taumoepeau Tupou, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Acting Minister of Defence and Acting Governor of Vava’u, introduced the national report, and expressed the gratitude of the Kingdom of Tonga to those members of the Working Group who provided questions in advance. He indicated that Tonga welcomed the advent of the UPR process as a means of ultimately improving the state of promoting and protecting human rights at a national level, and shared the view of other Member States that the UPR process is one that should ensure complementarity with existing mechanisms so as to avoid any duplication. His Majesty’s Government is therefore committed to the success of this UPR process and more broadly to the advance of the discourse on human rights at the international level. 6. In preparing its national report, like other small States, Tonga was challenged by time constraints and pre-existing acute capacity constraints to prepare a report that was both meaningful and based upon broad consultations within Government and with members of civil society and NGOs. To offset these constraints, His Majesty’s Government welcomed the generous assistance received from New Zealand in the timely preparation of its national report. Consultations with the Civil Society Forum, a group of 49 civil society organizations operating within the country, were an integral part of the preparatory process. Consultations also took place with a forum representing church leaders, the Tonga Chamber of Commerce and the Tonga Media Council. Whilst the period