St. Vincent and the Grenadines - Universal Periodic Review

UPR 39, November 2, 2021
Recommendations by Canada

Recommendation

Check against delivery

Thank you Madam President,

Canada welcomes the delegation of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and the country’s progress since the last review cycle. In particular, Canada commends efforts taken to improve the backlog of cases before the courts.

Canada recommends that St. Vincent and the Grenadines:

1. Prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, including repealing all laws criminalising sexual relations between consenting adults.
2. Implement public awareness campaigns to end gender-based violence and violence against women and children.
3. Abolish the death penalty.
4. Increase accessibility to public buildings and transportation to allow the inclusion of all persons with disabilities.

Background

On November 5, 2020, Ralph Gonsalves was re-elected to a fifth consecutive term as prime minister in a free and fair election that took place in a peaceful environment. Civil society representatives alleged that multiple COVID-19 relief measures, including programs directed at supporting small businesses and food security, are awarded solely to supporters of the government.

The most serious human rights issues include 1) the criminalization of consensual same-sex conduct between adults; 2) the continued legality of capital punishment; 3) pervasive gender-based violence; and 4) access to buildings for persons with physical disabilities.

Prison conditions in SVG are also less than adequate, although they vary depending on the facility. Key problems with prison facilities included overcrowding, and limited space to segregate noncompliant and juvenile prisoners.

Consensual same-sex sexual conduct between adults is illegal and sexual conduct between men is illegal under anal intercourse laws, although these laws are rarely enforced. No laws prohibit discrimination against a person based on sexual orientation or gender identity and members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTQ2) community often face unprovoked physical and verbal attacks.

SVG retains the death penalty for murder even though the last execution took place in February 1995.

Domestic violence against women remains a serious and pervasive problem.

The law prohibits discrimination against persons with physical, sensory, mental, and intellectual disabilities. However, the law does not mandate access to buildings for persons with disabilities, and access to buildings for them remains generally difficult.