Human Rights Committee 121st Session: Mauritius
During the next months, Mauritius will be reviewed by the Human Rights Committee (HRCtee) at the United Nations during its 121st session.
The HRCtee has ask the Mauritian Government to clarify a List of Issues (LOI). In the Reply to List of Issues the government has provided some information.
The main sessions will consist of examination, by independent human rights experts, of information provided by the country government, and information submitted by NGOs. As a result of the review process, the country government receives recommendations to improve human rights implementation in particular fields.
The HRCtee is probably the most friendly treaty body that could cover most of the human rights issues faced by LGBTI persons, such as restrictions of the fundamental freedoms of LGBTI defenders; hate crimes and hate speech towards LGBTI persons; the criminalisation of homosexuality; legal gender recognition; marriage equality, etc.
Young Queer Alliance submissions to the Human Rights Committee
With a view to utilise international human rights instruments to push for human rights of LGBT people, the Young Queer Alliance research centre has submitted an alternative report telling the committee members about the situation of LGBTI people in Mauritius.
The YQA would like to bring to the attention of the HRC that (a) as an organisation that is officially and legally registered with the Registry of Association since the year 2014 and having one of its main objectives, to advocate for LGBTQI rights and promote better conditions for LGBTQI persons; (b) as an organisation that is actively involved in the fight against homophobia, biphobia and transphobia, and for the recognition and well-being of the LGBTQIA community in Mauritius and which is regularly liaising with different governmental bodies, it was at no point approached by the State Party or involved in the preparation of its report.
For YQA, the absence of detailed information on the involvement of representatives of civil society and non-governmental organizations in the preparation of the State Party’s report demonstrates that the report was prepared in an arbitrary and unilateral manner.
For the purpose, the alternative report covered five specific areas as follows:
- violence and hate speech against persons based on their sexual orientation and gender identity;
- blood donation;
- marriage equality/ civil partnership; and,
- decriminalisation of consensual same-sex sexual acts among people of age of consent.
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