Only established in 2007, DFCD’s Human Rights Desk is tasked to provide secretariat and technical assistance to the National Human Rights Technical Working Committee. This includes work to support the establishment of a National Human Rights Commission through a partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The scope of work of the Human Rights Desk includes:
Preparing options analyses about a proposed National Human Rights Commission- at this stage comments are being considered;
Disseminating information about human rights law and basic rights (as set out in Division 111 of the National Constitution);
Collaborating with the Ombudsman Commission to undertake general awareness raising on human rights;
Together with Department of Justice & Attorney General and Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade and with the assistance from the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Human Rights Desk hosted a Ratification Workshop for South Pacific countries as it concerns the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights;
Collaborating closely with NGOs and churches informing them of the Human Rights Technical Working Committee and its goal to establish a PNG Human Rights Commission. The NGOs and churches comments and responses have been very supportive.
The Human Rights Desk and the National Human Rights Technical Working Committee with assistance from the Department of Justice & Attorney General plan to provide Para-Legal Training on Human Rights to participants during four regional workshops about human rights intended to occur in 2008. A national workshop is also planned for 2008.
The Human Rights Desk is headed by the Human Rights Coordinator who is also a Technical Advisor to the Human Rights Technical Working Committee and two project assistants.
