The United Nations Human Rights Council held its forty-seventh regular session from 21 June to 14 July 2021 under the presidency of Ambassador Nazhat Shameem Khan of Fiji at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. The hybrid Council was held in room XVIII with most statements delivered virtually.
During the session, the Council reviewed reports on a wide range of human rights issues and engaged in over 30 interactive dialogues with human rights experts, groups and mechanisms concerning, among other issues, around 40 countries. It heard the presentation of about 70 thematic and country reports on a wide range of issues, including the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Council also held its annual high-level panel discussion on the multisectoral prevention of and response to female genital mutilation; a panel discussion on the tenth anniversary of the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights; a panel discussion on the adverse impact of climate change on the full and effective enjoyment of human rights by older persons; its annual full-day discussion on the human rights of women; the quadrennial panel discussion on promoting human rights through sport and the Olympic ideal; and its annual thematic panel discussion on technical cooperation and capacity-building focusing on the right to education.
The final outcomes of the Universal Periodic Review of 14 States were also considered and adopted, namely those of Micronesia, Lebanon, Mauritania, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Australia, Saint Lucia, Nepal, Oman, Austria, Myanmar, Rwanda, Georgia, Sao Tome and Principe, and Nauru.
The Report of the Human Rights Council on its 47th session (A/HRC/47/2), as generated by the UN, can be accessed at the following link:
https://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/RegularSessions/Session47/Documents/A_HRC_47_2.docx .
The Bahamas delegation to the Session comprised H.E. Keva L Bain, Ambassador/Permanent Representative, Mr. Frank Davis, Minister Counsellor/Deputy Permanent Representative, Ms. DeAndra V. Cartwright, Third Secretary (Permanent Mission of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas to the United Nations in New York) and Ms. Kristie Russell, Third Secretary.
Ms. Cartwright was able to attend the Session as a beneficiary delegate of the LDCs/SIDS Trust Fund for the 47th Session.
In 2020, Ms. DeAndra V. Cartwright was selected as a delegate of the Voluntary Technical Assistance Trust Fund to Support the Participation of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in the work of the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) for its Forty-Fourth Session. Due to COVID-19 pandemic, she was unable to participate then.
The Fund, which is managed by the Human Rights Council Branch at the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), facilitated her in-person participation in the Forty-Seventh Regular Session (HRC47), which takes place during 21 June to 13 July 2021. She was joined by colleagues from Malawi and the Central African Republic.
Her participation was an opportunity to serve her country with the Bahamian Permanent Mission to the United Nations Office in Geneva (PMUN-GVA) and other International Organizations during HRC47, which is the penultimate session during The Bahamas’ third year as a Member. The Bahamas was elected as a Member of the HRC for the term 2019 – 2021, becoming the first Caribbean country to do so.
Ms. Cartwright is pictured with Her Excellency Keva Bain, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas to the United Nations Office in Geneva, who served as a Vice-Chair of the HRC, representing the Group of Latin American and Caribbean Countries (GRULAC).
The Voluntary Technical Assistance Trust Fund to Support the Participation of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in the work of the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) became operational 1 January 2014.
The Fund is managed by the HRC Branch at the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). [United Nations Human Rights]
During the period 1 January 2014 to 1 July 2021, the Trust Fund has supported 156 delegates and fellows (96 women, 60 men), coming from 71 of the 72 LDCs/SIDS (35 from Africa, 22 from Asia and the Pacific, 14 from the Caribbean and Latin America).
All 14 LDCs and SIDS of the Caribbean and Latin America have been supported at least once. All 22 LDCs and SIDS of the Asia and the Pacific have been supported at least once by the Trust Fund. 35 of the 36 LDCs and SIDS of Africa have been supported at least once by the Trust Fund.
The selected delegates of the Trust Fund to the Forty-Seventh Regular Session of the Human Rights Council are Mr. Charles Nkhalamba of the Republic of Malawi, Mr. Firmin N’Gbeng-Mokoue of the Central African Republic, and Ms. DeAndra Cartwright of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.
Read more at https://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/TrustFund/Pages/Mandate.aspx
L – R: H.E. Keva Bain, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas to the United Nations Office at Geneva and Vice-President of the Human Rights Council; H.E. Nazhat Shameem Khan, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Fiji and President of the Human Rights Council; and Ms. DeAndra V. Cartwright, Third Secretary of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas to the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
Ms. DeAndra V. Cartwright delivering the Joint Statement on behalf of the selected delegates of the Trust Fund for the 47th Regular Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC).
Delegates thanked the donor States to the Fund, the Council and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) for facilitating their participation. The importance of universal participation in the work of the Council was highlighted as well as the enhancement of delegates’ ability to work towards the promotion and protection of human rights.
Ms. Kristie Russell delivers the National Statement of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas during the Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Privacy, Mr. Joseph A. Cannataci.
Her Excellency Keva Bain, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas to the United Nations Office in Geneva delivers the National Statement of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas during the Interactive Dialogue (ID) with the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children, Siobhán Mullally.