UN official lauds Human Rights & Anti-Corruption Expo

…calls for annual event to strengthen Guyana’s human rights efforts

The recently held Human Rights and Anti-Corruption Expo was hailed by United Nations (UN) Country Office Representative as an example of the work needed to progress Guyana’s human rights compliance and bring more attention to this important topic.
During day two of panel discussions of the expo, Head of the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office, William Evans lauded the hosting of the expo. With elections on the horizon, Evans expressed the view that the expo should be a recurrent annual event.
Evans explained that a paradox exists where countries around the world have collectively committed to upholding fundamental human rights, but much work remains to be done. The UN representative noted that expos such as the one organised by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance helps solve that paradox.
“Even if I can’t explain the paradox, as a UN country team we do have a very clear sense about it. Of how we respond to it. And fundamentally, this comes back to doing the work. You’re doing the work, actually, by turning up and participating in the fair. But the work also includes doing the committee work. Looking at all the previous recommendations made about human rights,” Evans said.

“It involves working on new legislation. It involves collecting and gathering information from multiple UN organisations and from different Ministries, departments and agencies in Government, to determine the extent to which they are taking steps to implement recommendations from years gone by.”
According to Evans, Guyana is well on its way to achieving these recommendations as long as it continues to do the work or the “hard yards”. He recommended the human rights index be scrutinised to see where areas of potential improvement lie.
“Its about the internal audits. Its about the outreach with different communities. Constant raising of awareness about individual rights. And constant conversations with ourselves, as UN organisations, and also Government institutions. And say look, we’re falling short. There’s still more we can do here.”
“And I’m very grateful to have been invited on this panel today. This is exactly the work. What’s happening downstairs. This is the work that takes us closer to solving that paradox,” Evans further said in his presentation.
The UN official also recalled the International Business Conference held earlier this year and the platform it provided for attention to be brought to the subject of human rights by the UN.
“Earlier this year… the International Business Conference in Guyana was organised by the private sector from both Guyana and Suriname. And we brought across to Guyana one of our colleagues from the UN Global Compact. And our colleague explained to a number of private sector organisations the steps that they can take to advance and protect human rights in Guyana.”
“And specifically, they spoke about something called the Women’s Empowerment Principle. And provided advise to a number of companies about measures they can take in their businesses, at relatively low cost, to ensure for example that women benefit from things like equal pay for equal work,” he further said. (G3)