Seychelles

The Seychelles has established a Human Rights Treaty Reporting Committee at a multisectoral stakeholder level. The National Mechanism for Implementation, Reporting and Follow-up (NMIRF) includes representatives from the Attorney-General’s Office, Foreign Affairs, Employment, Health, Police, Education, and Family Affairs.

INSTITUTIONAL SETUP

The Seychelles NMIRF is currently managed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Cabinet approved the creation of a Human Rights Treaty Reporting Committee, with nominated members and substitutes from relevant ministries and departments.

MANDATE

The Committee, chaired by Ms. Ria Alcindor, held its inaugural meeting on 5 February 2024 to introduce members, establish a work programme, and outline collaboration on human rights objectives. The NMIRF brings together focal points from the Attorney-General’s Office, Foreign Affairs, Employment, Health, Police, Education, and Family Affairs. Appointment of focal points is through departmental nomination; formal integration into job descriptions currently applies only to Foreign Affairs, as treaty reporting was previously its sole mandate. The mechanism has been formally established through a policy mandate.

The Seychelles NMIRF has a broad mandate engaging with all human rights mechanisms, including UN Treaty Bodies, Human Rights Council mechanisms (Special Procedures and UPR), and Regional Human Rights Mechanisms.

Treaty Engagement Seychelles is party to multiple core human rights instruments, including CRC, CEDAW, CAT, CMW, CRPD, ICCPR, ICESCR, CED, CERD, the Genocide Convention, and the Apartheid Convention. Human rights are also enshrined in the Seychellois Charter of Fundamental Human Rights and Freedoms (Constitution, Chapter 3, Part I).

Process for the preparation of state reports The NMIRF has begun convening meetings and plans to hold its second multisectoral stakeholder meeting this year, aligned with training sessions for ministries and departments involved in reporting.

Previously, reporting was carried out directly by ministries and departments without a centralized body. With the new Human Rights Treaty Reporting Committee, reporting is now coordinated more systematically.

Reports and replies are prepared in close collaboration with the UN.

Internal validation and verification of information takes place before submission.

Reports serve both as the basis for domestic policy development and as official submissions to UN mechanisms.

No formal drafting committees/working groups or established methodology are yet in place, but data gathering occurs through ministries and departments.

Channel of communication with the National Statistics Office Engagement occurs through individual Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), which liaise with the Bureau of Statistics to provide or request data for reporting and follow-up with international and regional human rights mechanisms.

Channel of communication with the Parliament The NMIRF engages with Parliament via Select Sessional Committees, including those on Government Assurances, Health & Rights, Defense & Security, Food Security & Sustainable Development, International Affairs, Media, Youth & Culture, Scrutiny of Bills, and the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus, among others. These committees play a role in oversight, legislative alignment, and follow-up on human rights recommendations.

Channel of communication with the Judiciary Communication is maintained through the Attorney-General, who reports to the Judiciary and leads the Human Rights Treaty Reporting Committee initiative, ensuring judicial involvement in reporting and implementation.

COORDINATION

NMIRF includes/coordinates with focal points under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Gender Equality Mechanism focal points. Workshops (such as the inaugural meeting) serve as initial training, with the new system now assigning reporting duties directly to relevant Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).

Linkages with the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals The NMIRF’s work links to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development through initiatives such as promoting human rights education. The Ministry of Education has shown renewed commitment to a holistic approach that engages teachers, students, parents, and the wider community in advancing both human rights and sustainable development goals.

CONSULTATION The NMIRF engages with civil society and other stakeholders, mainly by connecting with industry professionals who share their experiences, challenges, and recommendations to strengthen development and human rights practices.

Email and server networks through the government portal for gathering, exchanging, and tracking implementation of recommendations is the main tool not a specific database.

There are currently no formal Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) exist for the use of these tools.

Seychelles has not yet developed specific national human rights action or implementation plans, nor monitoring matrices related to treaty body examinations or the UPR. The Seychelles government has received training support from the Commonwealth and the UN to strengthen the NMIRF and facilitate reporting. A key need identified is the development of a practical guide to treaty reporting, aimed at enhancing domestic human rights law and improving engagement with international mechanisms.