Universal Periodic Review Working Group – 39th Session

Universal Periodic Review of Papua New Guinea

Statement by Australia

4 November 2021

Thank you, [President/Vice President]

Australia welcomes the actions taken on human rights by Papua New Guinea since its last UPR appearance. This includes efforts to address gender-based violence and progress critical legislation to improve women’s lives, and the passage of legislation in 2020 to establish an Independent Commission Against Corruption. Australia encourages Papua New Guinea to realise the rights to health and education by allocating sufficient resources to improve outcomes and by continuing to prioritise COVID-19 vaccination coverage.

Australia recommends that Papua New Guinea:

1. Implement an immediate formal moratorium on the death penalty with a view to ratifying the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
2. Implement recommendations from the First Report to Parliament on the Inquiry into Gender Based Violence and progress implementation of the Sorcery Accusation Related Violence National Action Plan.
3. Establish a National Human Rights Institution in accordance with the Paris Principles as supported by the Government of Papua New Guinea in its last UPR report in 2016.

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