The United Nations held an urgent debate on Human Rights Violations in regard to systemic racism and police brutality.
In 2018, The Bahamas was elected to serve on the Human Rights Council (HRC) by the United Nations General Assembly. We are the first CARICOM nation to have this seat. The Bahamas is serving a three-year term.
We had no representation in this timely and necessary debate. Bahamian officials’ absence from the meeting is rather unnerving as concerns were raised following the recent police-involved shooting on Cowpen Road.
The proposal, made by a group of African countries led by Burkina Faso, was approved on Monday by the U.N.'s top human rights body.
This would have been the first time the council has met since the lockdown due coronavirus.
Countries apart of the Human Rights Council are Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Eritrea, Somalia, Togo, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Fiji, India, Philippines, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Argentina, Bahamas, Uruguay, Austria, Denmark, Italy, Angola-DR Congo, Nigeria, Senegal, Afghanistan, Nepal, Qatar, Pakistan, Slovakia, Ukraine, Chile, Mexico, Peru, Australia, Spain, Libya, Mauritania, Sudan, Namibia, Indonesia, Japan, Marshall Islands, South Korea, Armenia, Poland, Brazil, Venezuela, Germany, and the Netherlands.
Many Bahamians believe that in light of our proximity to the United States and how frequently Bahamians travel aboard, proper representation should be available during these matters. Police brutality affects Bahamians too.