Guyana reaffirms human rights commitment – Minister Walrond

Guyana continues to advance its human rights commitments through policies promoting inclusion, participation, transparency and accountability, as well as access to justice, housing, health and education, Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond, told the United Nations Human Rights Council this week.

Speaking at the 49^th Session of the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva on Tuesday, Minister Walrond said the country’s fiscal incentives aimed at reducing poverty and geographic disparities, particularly through social transfer initiatives, have contributed positively to the well-being of vulnerable populations.

Highlighting progress over the past four years, she said these advances were detailed in Guyana’s national report.

“The government has spared no effort to ensure the necessary resources are provided, from mandating the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance to coordinate the state interactions with the international human rights system, to creating the national mechanism for reporting and follow-up, our recommendation from the third review,” the minister pointed out.

She added that despite limited human resource capacity, Guyana completed its second voluntary National Review in 2023 and responded to more than 50 requests from independent experts, providing updates on progress and challenges.

Guyana also engaged with the UN human rights system through various mechanisms, including treaty bodies and experts.

Minister Walrond said that even as global human rights regression remains widespread, Guyana reported comprehensively on the rapid transformation of its society, which she said has led to an improved quality of life for all citizens.

The changes, she explained, extend beyond physical infrastructure to include reforms in the legal and administrative systems to better address evolving national needs.

Guyana is, on average, 67 per cent of the way towards achieving the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), according to the country’s assessment.

Despite this progress, the minister acknowledged that Guyana continues to face significant challenges, including the effects of climate change and the territorial claim to two-thirds of the country’s land by Venezuela.

She reiterated Guyana’s commitment to the Universal Periodic Review process as “a constructive platform for advancing human rights and sustainable development.”

Guyana’s delegation to the session is led by Minister Walrond and includes Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett; Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Guyana to UNOG, Dr Leslie Ramsammy; Senior Research Officer in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, and other technical officials.