The Overseas Territories
Human Rights The UK and the Territories share a common agenda to promote respect for human rights and tackle discrimination. The UK Government expects the Territories to abide by the same basic standards of human rights as the UK. Over the last decade, as new Territory Constitutions have been agreed, these have included new or strengthened human rights chapters that reflect these standards, in particular the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Significant progress has also been made on extending core UN human rights conventions to the Territories. The UK Government’s longstanding practice in this area is to encourage the Territories to agree to the extension of UN human rights conventions that the UK has ratified, but to extend these to the Territories only when they are ready to apply them. We want to work with all the populated Territories with a view to extending outstanding UN human rights conventions to them by the end of 2013. We will support those Territories that face resource and capacity constraints.
UN Human Rights Conventions The following core Conventions have been extended to almost all Territories: – the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; – the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; – the Convention on Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination; – the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment; and – the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Government of Anguilla is preparing for the extension of the UN covenants on civil and political rights and economic, social and cultural rights. The Government of Gibraltar is similarly considering the extension of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women has been extended to the British Virgin Islands, Falkland Islands and the Turks and Caicos Islands. Bermuda and the Cayman Islands are preparing for extension by the end of 2012. We are working with the remaining Territories to prepare for extension.
Foreign Office Minister Henry Bellingham meeting
Ascension Island Councillor Kitty George in London,
22 November 2011
Credit: Crown Copyright (FCO)
52