UN Human Rights office engages future legal professionals on human rights in the Commonwealth Caribbean

NASSAU, BAHAMAS: On February 5, 2025, the CARICOM Regional Office of the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) took a significant step in fostering human rights education by engaging with future legal professionals at the University of The Bahamas (UB). Regional Representative Michelle Brathwaite delivered an insightful presentation to third-year law students enrolled in the course Human Rights Law in the Commonwealth Caribbean. In addition, second-year Public International Law students and esteemed professors from the Law Faculty and Social Sciences attended the session, highlighting the broad interest in advancing human rights discourse in the region.

The presentation provided an overview of the CARICOM Regional Office’s mission, detailing its geographical coverage and its thematic human rights priorities. The session emphasized how the office works within the broader framework of international human rights law, ensuring that human rights principles are embedded in policies and practices across CARICOM member states.

During a vigorous question and answer session, students raised the matter of excessive incarceration rates, reparations for slavery and other issues which elicited deep and engaged conversation between the students, professors and the Regional Representative.

By engaging with UB law students, the CARICOM Regional Office reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening legal awareness and capacity-building in human rights advocacy. This initiative aligns with the office’s broader goal of fostering a culture of rights-based governance across the region. The interactive session encouraged dialogue on the role of legal professionals in shaping inclusive and just societies and underscored the importance of regional collaboration in upholding fundamental rights.

Ms. Brathwaite stressed that, while there are matters requiring the attention of the office, “There is work being done in the region (to advance human rights).”

As the CARICOM Regional Office continues its advocacy and outreach, partnerships with academic institutions like UB will remain vital in empowering the next generation of human rights defenders. Ms. Brathwaite added that in addition to tertiary institutions like UB, civil society organisations (CSOs), non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and national governments provide exciting avenues for potential partnerships.

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