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Is there a National Human Rights Institution in Suriname

Published on 18 Jul 2024, 10:51 AM

CCPR-Centre works with Surinamese CSOs for the ICCPR review

 

Almost 10 years ago, the Concluding observations on the third periodic report of Suriname adopted by Human Rights Committee welcomed “the establishment, on 30 March 2015, of the National Human Rights Institute”. As a priority recommendation, the Committee requested the State party to take measures to ensure the effective functioning of the National Human Rights Institute (NHRI) in line with the Paris Principles.

In its follow-up report to the Concluding Observations, Suriname indicated that the NHRI will be launched on December 10, 2016. The Committee again welcomed the launch of the Institute.

In a press release for Human Rights Day 2018, the Ministry of Justice and Police stated that they were working on the conditions needed for the establishment of the Human Rights Institute.

According to Projekta’s report for the UPR, from 2017 to 2021, almost the exact same wording was used every year for a policy measure in Suriname’s annual budgets: “The Human Rights Bureau will be transformed into a Human Rights Institute with a broader mandate, more authority and a better structure. This according to the Paris Principles.”

However, Suriname’s NHRI is still non-existent. In words of UNDP, the establishment of the NHRI of Suriname is a journey.

Surinamese civil society organisations engage at the ICCPR review

The establishment of the NHRI and other issues have been raised by a coalition of Surinamese CSOs with the support of CCPR-Centre in view of the ICCPR review of Suriname.

The Centre and its national partner, Projekta, organised a training in Paramaribo, on 15-16 May 2024, attended by more than 25 human rights defenders from different regions of the country. The main objective of the training was to prepare an advocacy strategy for the ICCPR review. Margo Waterval, former Human Rights Committee member, participated in the training and facilitated a session on CSO engagement.

As an outcome of the training, in June 2024, CSOs submitted a written report to the Human Rights Committee in reply to the List of Issues adopted by the Committee.

Fourth review of Suriname by the Human Rights Committee

In July 2024, three representatives of the Surinamese CSO coalition, with the support of the CCPR-Centre and the UN Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Peoples, travelled to Geneva to engage in person with Committee members.

The main issues of concern raised by the CSOs were:

  • The rights of indigenous and tribal peoples
  • Gender equality
  • The rights of LGBTQI+ persons
  • Corruption and human rights

And of course, the establishment of the NHRI.

The ICCPR review of Suriname took place on 10 and 11 July 2024. The establishment of the NHRI was again a priority recommendation adopted by the Human Rights Committee.

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