by Linda Straker
- 148 recommendations received following Universal Periodic Review in 2020
- Covid-19 pandemic diverted limited financial and human resources
- Latest human rights record will be examined on Monday, 5 May
The Grenada Government has said that the Covid-19 pandemic contributed to its inability to implement several of the recommendations received following the presentation of its 3rd Universal Periodic Review in 2020.
The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a United Nations process where all 193 Member States are reviewed on their human rights records every 4.5 years. On 27 January 2020 in Geneva, Switzerland, Grenada received 148 recommendations following its presentation. Some were accepted while others were noted. Among the recommendations was the request from the United Kingdom for Grenada to repeal all legal provisions that discriminate against persons on the grounds of their sexual orientation and gender identity. The USA wanted Grenada to amend Article 32 of the Employment Act to expressly prohibit hazardous work for children and trafficking of children in all cases.
The latest human rights record of Grenada will be examined by the United Nations Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group for the 4th time on Monday, 5 May 2025, in Geneva.
Roxie McLeish-Hutchinson, Permanent Secretary with responsibility for Foreign Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Trade, and Export Development, will lead the Grenada delegation. Representatives from Spain, Brazil and Qatar are serving as rapporteurs for Grenada’s review.
“Grenada faced several challenges that hindered the full implementation of the recommendations received during its 3rd Universal Periodic Review (UPR). Chief among these was the unprecedented impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, which disrupted national priorities and diverted limited financial and human resources to managing the health crisis,” said the 4th cycle report.
“The pandemic exposed systemic vulnerabilities in critical sectors such as healthcare, education, and social protection, significantly slowing the progress of ongoing projects tied to UPR recommendations,” said the report, which points out that the country is susceptible to extreme weather conditions linked to climate change. “Additionally, Grenada’s susceptibility to climate change and the intensifying effects of extreme weather conditions caused significant infrastructural damage, draining resources and delaying initiatives aimed at improving citizens’ well-being.”
“These combined challenges were further compounded by fiscal constraints faced by a small island developing state (SIDS), limiting the government’s capacity to invest in long-term developmental goals while addressing immediate crises,” said the report which was collated by the National Coordinating Committee on Human Rights (NCCHR), which was given its mandate from Cabinet Conclusion 2012 under the stewardship of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Export Development in its capacity as chair of the committee.
Grenada is one of 14 States the UPR Working Group will review during its upcoming session from 28 April to 9 May 2025. Grenada’s first, second, and third UPR reviews took place in May 2010, January 2015, and January 2020, respectively.
The UPR Working Group comprises the 47 Member States of the Human Rights Council. However, each of the 193 UN Member States can participate in a country review. The general public will be able to view it via the United Nations Webcast channel.
The documents on which the reviews are based are:
- national report, which is information provided by the State under review
- information contained in the reports of independent human rights experts and groups, known as the special procedures, human rights treaty bodies, and other UN entities
- information provided by other stakeholders, including national human rights institutions, regional organisations, and civil society groups