The First Meeting of the National Mechanisms for Reporting and Follow-up (NMRF) on Human Rights Periodic Reports and Reviews was held on Monday 19 February in the presence of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Human Rights and Institutional Reforms, Mr Maneesh Gobin and other eminent personalities in the Lunch Room of the National Assembly. Representatives from different ministries, departments, non-governmental organisations, human rights institutions and concerned stakeholders attended the meeting.
On this occasion, Minister Gobin underlined the importance of NMRF recalling that its main objective is to ensure timely reporting and reviews to international bodies. The meeting, he pointed out, will help create better coordination between different stakeholders and enhance the sharing of information. The coordinating mechanism will in turn contribute in reducing negative reports coming from international partners as regards human rights, he added.
He underscored that the topic of human rights concerns each and every one regardless of their ministries, departments or institutions and that we should all work towards preserving equality and eliminating discrimination. He highlighted that the organisations should review the various periodic reviews for 2018 before submitting the documents to international bodies. They include reports for the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women; the third Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and the mid-term progress reports.
Minister Gobin added that the First Meeting of the NMRF has been fruitful in determining the position of various organisations as regards Human Rights Periodic Reports Reviews. He further pointed out that the committee will meet in two weeks after thorough research and precise data collection.
About the NMRF
The NMRF helps to coordinate and prepare reports covering international and regional human rights mechanisms including Treaty Bodies, the UPR, and Special Procedures. It also ascertains that the Human Rights obligations and recommendations by international human rights organisations are being appropriately implemented.