Fiji’s Attorney-General Graham Leung recently highlighted that the country’s reporting obligations under the Human Rights Council’s third Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in 2019 are outdated. This statement was made in response to a question from Assistant Minister for iTaukei Affairs Ratu Isikeli Tuiwailevu during a parliamentary session last week, regarding the status of the proposed Fiji Human Rights task force.
Leung briefly outlined the roles of the task force, which was approved by Cabinet last month and officially launched on August 30. Its main functions will include engaging with international human rights mechanisms, such as UN treaty bodies and the Universal Periodic Review process, among others.
The task force will consist of representatives from various government ministries and agencies, including the Fiji Police Force, Fiji Corrections Service, and the Fiji military. Additionally, it will be responsible for organizing and coordinating Fiji’s national reports to international human rights mechanisms, which include initial reports, periodic reports, and responses to queries from special rapporteurs.
Leung pointed out that delays in submitting these reports underscore the need for a robust structure to ensure timely submissions. He provided examples of overdue reports, including those due to the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, the Committee Against Torture, and the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, among others.
At the conclusion of Fiji’s UPR review in November 2019, the country accepted 207 out of 242 recommendations provided by 97 member states of the Human Rights Council. Leung noted that as of 2019, Fiji is a party to nine core international human rights treaties of the United Nations and several optional protocols associated with these treaties.
By ratifying these treaties, Fiji has taken on the responsibility to implement the provided obligations and periodically report to the respective treaty bodies located in Geneva. The United Nations has recommended the establishment of a national mechanism for implementing and reporting on treaty obligations, known as NMIRF. This mechanism will serve as a permanent government structure dedicated to coordinating efforts and ensuring compliance with international human rights obligations.