Overview
Pakistan has ratified seven of the United Nations core human rights Conventions, a testament to its commitment to ensuring the fulfilment of these rights for its citizens. This Section aims to shed light on the composition and application of each of these Conventions, along with the main domestic legal instruments and bodies which correspond with and address the rights provided within them. It is crucial to note that these legally binding treaties place an important responsibility on the State to ensure that the rights enshrined therein are not violated and where violations do take place adequate mechanisms for redressal of these violations are available.
The General System of Preferences (GSP) is a mechanism introduced by the European Union (EU) to grant non-reciprocal preferential treatment to imports from developing countries, without legally violating the obligations of the most favoured nation (MFN) status, as per the World Trade Organisation’s norms. The GSP+ scheme is designed to assist developing countries assume the special burdens and responsibilities resulting from the ratification of 27 core international conventions on human and labour rights, environmental protection and good governance as well as from the effective implementation thereof.
Pakistan was granted GSP+ in 2014 and has shown commitment to maintaining ratifications and meeting reporting obligations to the United Nations Treaty Bodies for the 27 UN Conventions.
Pakistan has taken positive steps to comply with GSP+ scheme, these steps include the institutional and capacity development of the Ministry of Human Rights, the Treaty Implementation Cells (TICs), and Human Rights provincial departments, as well as the cooperation with stakeholders. The Ministry of Human Rights has begun to establish the Human Rights Information Management System (HRIMS) in cooperation with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and in consultation with the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights (OHCHR). This will strengthen the data collection for Treaty Bodies and GSP+ reporting. The Ministry of Human Rights’ intention to establish a National Mechanism for Reporting and Follow up (NMRF) and to implement the OHCHR guidelines for Treaty Reporting Monitoring and follow up mechanisms are positive steps.[1]
For a List of Convention ratified by Pakistan please refer to Figure 1.1 in Section One of this Guide.
[1] https://ec.europa.eu/transparency/regdoc/rep/10102/2020/EN/SWD-2020-22-F1-EN-MAIN-PART-1.PDF