31st session of the Human Rights Council
UPR- Saint Kitts and Nevis Statement by the Allied Rainbow Communities International.
Joined by International Lesbian and Gay Association.
Delivered by Diana Carolina Prado Mosquera
Mr. President,
ARC International makes this statement in collaboration with the Saint Kitts Alliance for Equality, United and Strong Inc and CariFLAGS.
We welcome the Saint Kitts and Nevis government’s acceptance of the recommendation to ratify the ICCPR and ICESCR, including the optional protocols. This is a positive step towards ensuring the country is fully compliant with international standards.
However St. Kitts and Nevis has disappointingly only ‘noted’ all recommendations calling on the repeal of law to decriminalize same sex sexual activity between consenting adults and penal provisions that discriminate against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people which also includes prohibition of discrimination on any basis inclusive of sexual orientation and gender identity.
We remain concerned that the government has only noted the recommendation to “Enact comprehensive legislation that fully guarantees the application of the principle of non-discrimination and ensure the full enjoyment of all human rights by every member of society” with no indication of commitment or will to ensure equality and justice for ALL.
We call on St Kitts and Nevis to honor their 2011 commitment to a consultative process to engage the public on this issue. We also ask St Kitts and Nevis to engage in legislative reform to guarantee non discrimination against persons on the basis of health, gender, disability and sexual orientation and collaborate with civil society organizations such as the St Kitts and Nevis Association of Persons with Disabilities and the St Kitts and Nevis Alliance for Equality, to reach populations which are most affected.
Once again we call on the St Kitts and Nevis government to recognize a popular mandate is not needed to ensure security, justice and equality for all, in particular its lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and disabilities communities.
Thank you.