From 18-21 July 2016, a CTI delegation concluded two very positive visits to St Lucia and Grenada respectively.

The delegation, composed of Ambassador Carsten Staur, Permanent Representative of Denmark of the UN in Geneva, Dr. Ahmed Shaheed, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Universal Rights Group and Dr. Alice Edwards, Head of the CTI Secretariat, met with government representatives in both countries, as well as with Friends of the CTI and local civil society organisations. 

The visits were in follow-up to the 2015 Universal Periodic Review of both countries in which recommendations to ratify the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment were accepted. 

In the Caribbean, 6 States are already party to the UNCAT (Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Guyana and St Vincent and the Grenadines), while 10 States have yet to ratify the Convention. The main reasons cited for non-ratification relate to technical, resource and capacity constraints. 

CTI looks forward to continuing to work closely with governments and other stakeholders in the region to support national processes towards ratification and implementation of the UNCAT.

Read more about CTI visits here.