PRESS RELEASE : UN Human Rights Council 56 – UK Statement for UPR Adoption of Mauritius [August 2024]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 28 August 2024.

UK Statement for Universal Periodic Review Adoption of the Republic of Mauritius.

To note, this statement was not delivered.

The United Kingdom welcomes the engagement of Mauritius with the Universal Periodic Review process and its commitment to promoting and protecting human rights. We thank Mauritius for its consideration of our recent recommendations.

We welcome Mauritius’ acceptance of our recommendation to fully implement and report regularly on progress of the National Gender Policy and the National Strategy & Action Plan on Gender-Based Violence.

We also welcome that Mauritius, as a Small Island Developing State, accepted our recommendation to report on the impact of climate change on its human rights situation.

The UK invites Mauritius to clarify its position on amending Section 250 of the Criminal Code. This is a vital step in fully implementing the Supreme Court’s decriminalisation of same-sex sexual relations in November 2023, which the UK welcomed, and for safeguarding the rights of LGBT people in Mauritius.