UN HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE FIELD The three reviews of Nepal that were undertaken by the treaty bodies resulted in a number of recommendations related to non-discrimination issues. These recommendations were strengthened through contributions from OHCHR and the UNCT. OHCHR will continue working with the Government on the implementation of recommendations to advance the non-discrimination agenda. In anticipation of CEDAW’s review of Nepal, OHCHR worked closely with the UNCT to identify strategic entry points that could be brought to the attention of the Committee members. The Office also gathered information from civil society members that attended the review in Geneva to gain a better understanding of key women’s rights issues in the country. Civil society organizations have expressed their great appreciation for the CEDAW recommendations. UN HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE FIELD recommendations that were issued in relation to Pacific Island countries, as well as those issued by the relevant treaty bodies and special procedures that called for their ratification, contributed to this result. THE PACIFIC Type of engagement Regional Office Countries of engagement Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu Year established 2005 Field office(s) Fiji UN partnership framework United Nations Pacific Strategy 2018-2022 Staff as of 31 December 2018 5 Total income US$1,303,904 XB requirements 2018 US$1,471,500 Total XB expenditure US$958,050 Personnel Non-personnel The Regional Office provided technical assistance to contribute to the establishment and functioning of national mechanisms for integrated reporting and/or the implementation of recommendations issued by the treaty bodies, special procedures and the UPR. PSC† 53% 36% 11% $511,386 $339,834 $106,830 Total RB expenditure M1 – Kiribati, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands and Vanuatu establish national mechanisms for reporting and follow-up (NMRFs) to coordinate reporting and implement recommendations made by the treaty bodies, special procedures, the Human Rights Council, and the UPR. US$123,341 Personnel 99% Non-personnel ⊳1% $121,621 $1,720 Key OMP pillars in 2018 † Please refer to Data sources and notes on p.191. KEY PILLAR RESULTS: Mechanisms (M) M1 – More Pacific Island Countries and Territories ratify at least five core international human rights treaties. OHCHR advocated for the increased ratification of international and regional human rights treaties by countries in the region. Fiji and the Marshall Islands acceded to ICCPR and ICESCR. The Marshall Islands also acceded to CAT. To bring about this result, the Regional Office conducted a 266 UN HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT 2018 country mission to the Marshall Islands and held a number of briefing sessions for government officials and members of the national coordination mechanism on reporting and follow-up named the National Human Rights Committee. In Fiji, OHCHR provided an oral briefing to the Parliament’s Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence on the significance of ratifying and becoming a Party to both Covenants. In addition, the UPR Training was provided to members of the NMRFs in Kiribati, the Marshall Islands and Vanuatu to increase their coordination, consultation and information management capacities. The Office also shared the terms of reference and good practices of NMRFs from other countries. These interventions led to some positive results, such as the constructive engagement of the Marshall Islands with the CRC and CEDAW Committees, the finalization of Kiribati’s initial report to CRPD and its periodic reports to CRC and CEDAW and the drafting of Vanuatu’s initial reports to the Human Rights Committee and CAT. All of these reporting initiatives were led by NMRFs in their respective countries. M1 – Special procedures mandate holders make at least two visits each year to the Pacific region. During the reporting period, OHCHR encouraged countries in the region to accept special procedures visit requests. Nine out of the 14 Pacific Island Countries and Territories, in addition to Australia and New Zealand, have extended standing invitations to the special procedures. In 2018, the Special Rapporteur on human rights and the environment visited Fiji. Nevertheless, the number of visit requests to these countries and territories that have not been responded to has increased. For instance, Fiji has received requests from nine special procedures mandate holders and Vanuatu has received three visit requests. Tonga has had a pending request from the Working Group on the issue of discrimination against women in law and in practice since 2017. M1 – States in the region submit on time a higher proportion of the reports that are due to the treaty bodies and UPR. OHCHR engaged with and provided technical assistance to countries in the region to support their timely submission of reports to the treaty bodies and the UPR. In 2018, the Pacific Island countries saw some progress in timely reporting to the treaty bodies and the UPR. As of December, five Pacific island countries and territories, including Cook Islands, Micronesia, Niue, Palau and Tuvalu were up-to-date in their respective reporting to the treaty bodies. Kiribati and the Marshall Islands finalized their initial reports to CRPD, while Tonga submitted its initial report to the CRC. Regarding the UPR, the Regional Office engaged with Tuvalu’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Ministry of Justice to follow-up on the implementation of the country’s UPR recommendations. In Vanuatu, OHCHR delivered two rounds of training sessions for State officials and members of the National Human Rights Committee, which resulted in the preparation of its national report to the UPR. M2 – National human rights institutions, civil society organizations and individuals from Fiji and Samoa make more submissions to the treaty bodies, special procedures and the UPR. OHCHR provided advisory services and technical support to NHRIs and civil society organizations to encourage their increased engagement with and the drafting of substantive submissions to the treaty bodies, special procedures and the UPR. The reporting period saw an increased engagement of these actors, through the submission of shadow reports and oral briefings, with the international human rights mechanisms, particularly the treaty bodies and the UPR. For example, the NHRI in Samoa made a submission to CEDAW and, in August, released its National Inquiry into Family Violence Report. This helped the Committee to assess Samoa’s implementation of the Convention. In Fiji, civil society organizations played an active role, including through the submission of interventions, in the course of CEDAW’s consideration of the Government’s periodic report. Apart from its written submissions, representatives from these organizations made oral briefings to CEDAW prior to its dialogue with the Government delegation. In addition, the Fiji Human Rights and AntiDiscrimination Commission submitted a shadow report to CEDAW. Finally, OHCHR worked towards supporting the establishment and functioning of NHRIs in line with the Paris Principles under the Accountability pillar. UN HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT 2018 267