(2011-12) Report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review: Haiti (A/HRC/19/19)
Summary — Report of Haiti's first Universal Periodic Review, held in October 2011, summarizing the State presentation, statements by 51 delegations and the human rights recommendations made to Haiti after the 2010 earthquake.
Key Findings
- Haiti's first UPR, delayed by the 2010 earthquake, took place on 13 October 2011 with 51 delegations speaking. The delegation reported an official population of 8.1 million with 55 percent in extreme poverty on one dollar a day, and pledged that 1.5 million children would be schooled by the end of President Martelly's term. Recurrent concerns included violence against women and girls, restavek children, the 20 to 40 percent of Haitians lacking civil documents, prolonged pretrial detention and prison overcrowding. Recommendations urged ratification of the ICESCR, the Convention against Torture and the Hague Adoption Convention, creation of a Paris Principles compliant national human rights institution, and continued international assistance.
Full Description
This report records the Universal Periodic Review of Haiti, conducted by the Human Rights Council Working Group on 13 October 2011 after being postponed because of the January 2010 earthquake. The Haitian delegation presented the 1987 Constitution's rights framework, national institutions such as the Office de la protection du citoyen, housing programmes including Kay Pam, the 16/6 relocation programme and a 400-house project, education measures under President Martelly, and acknowledged problems of pretrial detention and prison overcrowding. The delegation noted an official population of 8.1 million, 55 percent of whom lived in extreme poverty on one dollar a day. Fifty-one delegations spoke, welcoming Haiti's engagement despite the disaster while raising concerns about violence against women and girls, restavek children and child protection, statelessness and civil documentation, prison conditions, judicial independence and impunity. The report compiles recommendations for Haiti's response by March 2012, including ratifying the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Convention against Torture and child rights instruments, and strengthening the rule of law.
Notes
UN document A/HRC/19/19; ayitistats wave B; UPR Working Group outcome report on Haiti