The Forum on Effectiveness and Solidarity (FES) which comprises civil society groups is to shortly publish a document with suggestions on the implementation of the rights commissions.
A release from the FES Steering Group said that the organisations met on May 10 to complete and approve the ongoing review of the constitutional commissions which are to be approved by Parliament.
The May 10 meeting considered the findings of the recent National Stakeholder Forum (NSF) which had been convened by President Bharrat Jagdeo at the Office of the President in the aftermath of the Lusignan and Bartica massacres. FES noted that the NSF had identified the setting up of these commissions as a priority for implementation by June 10, 2008.
FES met on a number of occasions to refine its understanding on the various commissions to be set up among which are those which address race, gender, indigenous and children’s issues.
Consequent upon its analysis, FES presented several proposals which are being refined by its civil society constituents. The proposals are to be compiled into a document with suggestions for the process that has been unfinished for the past eight years. “The document will also list international best practices of functioning rights commissions and set out the desired qualifications of members”, the FES said.
