Singaporeans for Democracy`s (SFD) will be submitting an independent report on Singapore’s electoral system to the UN’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process set up in 2006 to review member countries’ human rights record.
Dr. James Gomez informed human rights officer Ms Hannah Wu and several of her colleagues of SFD’s plans and secured agreement to the independent submission during a meeting at the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights in Bangkok on 22 June 2010.
During the meeting, SFD’s Dr. Gomez outlined the steps of its submission, which will include consultations with opposition political parties and its representatives in a manner that suits them, inputs from lawyers with constitutional experience and a public consultation for which an invitation will be sent to the Elections Department.
The UPR is a process by which the UN reviews the human rights records of member countries every four years. Singapore`s human rights record is up for review during the Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review’s 11th session in 2011.
In order to increase contact with the UN system, SFD will also be making contact with the UN office in Malaysia that covers Singapore. Dr. Gomez will be in Kuala Lumpur next week to meet with UN representatives there.
The operational and consultation portion of SFD’s report on the electoral system will be managed by Mr. Martyn See. If you want to make a submission or input to SFD’s electoral system report, please contact Martyn at (martynsee@yahoo. com).
For more information about the Universal Periodic Review go to:
http://www.ohchr. org/EN/HRBodies/UPR/Pages/UPRMain.aspx
