The Solicitor General Sharvada Sharma with the AG who received the Deputy Regional Representative and Officer in Charge, Ms Catherine Phuong, and the Associate Human Rights Officer, Ms Toiko Tonisson Kleppe, from the OHCHR.JPG
The Attorney General, Honourable Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, received the Deputy Regional Representative and Officer in Charge, Ms Catherine Phuong, and the Associate Human Rights Officer, Ms. Toiko Tonisson Kleppe, from the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights [OHCHR] today in Suva.
The meeting discussed the improvements Fiji has made in the area of human rights and how the Fijian Government and the OHCHR can continue to work together in the future.
In welcoming the representatives to Fiji, the Attorney-General said that he looks forward to receiving technical assistance from the OHCHR and continuing to work with the organisation to further strengthen the human rights culture in Fiji.
During discussions on the development of the human rights in Fiji vis-à-vis the political history of Fiji, the Attorney-General also highlighted to the representatives the unprecedented provisions in the Constitution pertaining to socio-economic rights part of the Bill of Rights Chapter in the Constitution of the Republic of Fiji. He also stated that unlike previous governments, the Fijian Government was committed to ensuring the progressive realisation of socio-economic rights in addition to civil and political rights for all Fijians.
Ms Phuong commended the Fijian Government for its recent appointment of Commissioners to the Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission as established under the Constitution.
Ms Phuong also said she looks forward to working with Government by providing assistance with human rights based legislation and the implementation of the recommendations accepted by Fiji during the last Universal Periodic Review process.
Press Release