Human Rights Council 52nd Session of the Universal Periodic Review – Solomon Islands

Mr President,

We warmly welcome the delegation from Solomon Islands.
We welcome the focus Solomon Islands has placed on strengthening its institutional human rights framework, including progress toward establishing a national human rights institution, ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and Optional Protocols to the Convention of the Rights of the Child.

New Zealand recommends that Solomon Islands:

1. Raise the minimum age of marriage to 18 years.
2. Ratify the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
3. Strengthen political participation for women, such as through the adoption of Temporary Special Measures for Provincial Government Assemblies.
4. Decriminalise same‑sex relationships.

We thank the delegation for its participation today and wish them a successful review.

Thank you, Mr President.