Human Rights Council, 41st Session of the Universal Periodic Review: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Mr President,

New Zealand welcomes the participation of the United Kingdom today and commends the progress made since their last review. We welcome the UK’s long-standing commitment to protecting and promoting human rights.

We commend the UK’s progress updating statutory guidance targeting those involved in modern slavery.

We recommend that the United Kingdom:

1. Uphold and strengthen legal protections for LGBTQI+ persons, in particular transgender persons.
2. Advance comprehensive policies and practices to eliminate discrimination against minorities.
3. Ensure that its treatment of asylum seekers is consistent with its humanitarian responsibilities, and commitments under international human rights law and international refugee law, in particular the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, and with specific reference to the UK’s offshore processing arrangement with Rwanda.

We wish the United Kingdom every success in its review.

Thank you Mr President.