Barbadian to head UNHCR’s first Caribbean office

For the first time in its history, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCR) has established a dedicated regional office. It will be located in The Bahamas and headed by Barbadian national Michelle Brathwaite.

The establishment of the regional office was led by the small island developing states of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), including Barbados.

A resolution was tabled in 2023 in the Human Rights Council under the lead of the Permanent Mission of The Bahamas. It called for the establishment of the regional office and was endorsed by the CARICOM Ministers of Foreign Affairs and supported by the CARICOM Secretariat. The resolution was adopted without a vote with some co-sponsors.

The office will be staffed by 16 regular budget positions with National Human Rights Officers stationed in Barbados, Belize, Guyana, Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago.

Brathwaite, who was a national human rights officer at the UN Office in Barbados and has several years of experience supporting human rights policies in the region, met with Caribbean ambassadors in Geneva last week Thursday.

During the meeting, a deep discussion was held on the human rights priorities and needs for the region, including support in the development of human rights legislation; implementation of Universal Periodic Review recommendations; and working on issues such as the human rights elements of foreign debt and climate justice.

Barbados’ Permanent Representative to the United Nations, World Trade Organisation and other international organisations in Geneva, Matthew Wilson, who participated in the meeting, welcomed the establishment of the regional office and the recruitment of Brathwaite as its head.

Wilson said: “Barbados looks forward to working closely with the regional office to follow up on our Universal Periodic Review commitments; build up more data collection techniques and better explore the interface between human rights and climate change, including support for the Bridgetown Initiative 3.0.”

(BGIS)