The Solomon Islands has pledged
to the United Nations to deliver free universal education by
2027.
Earlier this week, the Solomon Islands
delegation supported 140 out of 181 recommendations from the
country’s most recent Universal Periodic Review at the 63rd
Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council
(UNHRC).
Delegation lead Martin Kwaifono told the
UNHRC that the Solomon Islands government was actively
pursuing a policy that would provide universal free
education for all by next year.
“So that no child is
turned away from school because the family cannot afford the
fees. This is to relieve the huge burdens that families
continuously cannot bear, especially in rural
areas.”
Kwaifono said the government was also
committed to confronting transnational crime and
establishing a national human rights institution.
The
Solomon Islands acceded to the UN Convention against
Transnational Organised Crime (UNTOC) on 27
August.
Kwaifono said becoming a party to UNTOC
demonstrated the nation’s commitment to confronting the
threat of transnational organised crime, which is “raging
the very fabrics of our communities”.
He said setting
up a national human rights institution was “a national
priority” and reflected the government’s commitment to
strengthening human rights protections.
The Solomon
Islands government is also working on advancing legislation
to move the legal age for marriage to 18.
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Under
current laws, the marriage age in the Solomon Islands is 15,
which one
children’s charity has previously told RNZ Pacific is a
child rights issue.
Kwaifono told the UNHRC that
the work being done to raise the marriage age to 18 showed
“a commitment to upholding the values and rights of young
girls and women in our society”.
He said the Solomon
Islands had noted with “great enthusiasm” a total of 41
recommendations, but that this should not be construed as a
lack of commitment in advancing the nation’s human rights
obligations.
“For a least developing country like the
Solomon Islands, we are very cautious about the
responsibilities we intend to take upon ourselves.
“It
will be very irresponsible of us to ratify [or] accede to a
convention when we do not have the adequate resources or
lack the capacity for implementation.
“Therefore, we
call on our international partners or partners to support us
in these endeavours,” he
said.
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