Papua New Guinea’s civil society representatives trained to take part in the upcoming Universal Periodic Review

From 15th to 17th February 2021, the International Catholic Centre of Geneva (CCIG), together with its partners Edmund Rice International (ERI), the Marist International Solidarity Foundation (FMSI) and the Dominicans for Justice and Peace, organised a three-day workshop in Port Moresby, ahead of the United Nations (UN) Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Papua New Guinea (PNG).

The workshop aimed at enhancing the participation of representatives of the local civil society in the UPR of PNG, by training them on the functioning of the UPR and the advocacy opportunities around this process. It gathered 25 participants from various national associations involved in the defence of human rights.

By the end of these three-days, the participants enhanced their knowledge of this UN mechanism, learned how to maximize the impact of their actions as human rights defenders, acquired a methodology for drafting UPR submissions and policy recommendations and strengthened their capacity to better advocate for human rights issues and support the government in implementing UPR recommendations.

This workshop was also the opportunity to foster synergies among civil society organisations in PNG and to identify human rights issues in the country. In particular, attendees discussed about 4 main themes: 1) women’s rights, 2) children’s rights, 3) rights of people with disabilities and 4) environmental issues. Those issues and the civil society’s recommendations to address them where all compiled in a joint submission for the upcoming UPR of Papua New Guinea.

The event took place within the framework of a larger project for human rights enhancement in PNG through the UPR carried out by the International Catholic Centre of Geneva in partnership with Edmund Rice International, the Marist International Solidarity Foundation and Dominicans for Justice and Peace and with the financial support of the City of Geneva and Misean Cara.