Recommit to basic human rights – PM Nagamootoo
– makes call at opening of workshop for small islands and developing states
DPI, Guyana, Monday, November 19, 2018
Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo today said that countries around the world need to reaffirm their commitment to fundamental human rights, which include the respect of the sanctity of human life
Addressing the opening of a workshop for Small Islands Developing States (SID’s) and Least Developing Countries (LDC’s) at the Pegasus Hotel this morning, the Prime Minister who is performing the functions of Acting President, said some 70 years after the declaration of human rights, some countries around the world continue to have setbacks as it relates to respecting basic human rights.
“In several parts of the world, these rights are compromised, on untenable grounds of race and ethnicity, religious beliefs, gender and sexual orientation, immigrant and refugee status and colour and nationality,” the acting President told participants from countries across the Caribbean and further afield.
The Prime Minister said that Small Islands and Developing States, including Guyana, continue to push for integrated human rights.
“The constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana guarantees freedom of the individuals, equality of women, the right to education, citizens are protected from discrimination on the basis of their race, sex and gender.”
According to the Prime Minister Nagamootoo, it is expected that the workshop will take forward the mandate of the Human Rights Trust Fund, to achieve, among other things, capacity building with regards to international human rights laws and systems specific to the training of the overall functioning of the human rights council, commitments to fundamental human rights, including the sanctity of human life, the protection of journalists, free speech and even critical media.
Chief of the Human Rights Council Branch, Eric Tistounet said the meeting in Guyana is the first of three workshops organised by the human rights Trust Fund.
The meeting comes as the United Nations (UN) celebrates 70 years of the declaration of human rights. The tw0 day agenda includes an overview of the SID’s/ LDCs, the Trust Fund’s achievement in the Caribbean region. It will also hear speakers from CARICOM, New York and Geneva.
Alexis Rodney.
Images: Jameel Mohammed.