| ANGUILLA Anguilla Anguilla (overseas territory of the United Kingdom) Joined United Nations: 24 October 1945 Human Rights as assured by their constitution Click here Updated 10/27/10 |
| CAPITAL |
| POPULATION |
| CHIEF OF STATE |
| SELECTION PROCESS |
The Valley
14,436 (July 2010 est.)
Hubert Hughes
Chief Minister since 16 February 2010
Chief Minister since 16 February 2010
The monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch;
Next scheduled election: None
Next scheduled election: None
HEAD OF GOVERNMENT
SELECTION PROCESS
Following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or
the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed chief
minister by the governor; last held 15 February 2010
Next scheduled election: 2015
the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed chief
minister by the governor; last held 15 February 2010
Next scheduled election: 2015
| DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS |
| ETHNIC GROUPS |
Black (predominant) 90.1%, mixed, mulatto 4.6%, white 3.7%, other 1.5% (2001 Census)
| RELIGIONS |
Anglican 29%, Methodist 23.9%, other Protestant 30.2%, Roman Catholic 5.7%, other Christian 1.7%, other 5.2%, none or unspecified
4.3% (2001 census)
4.3% (2001 census)
| GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE |
Overseas territory of the United Kingdom with 0 administrative divisions; Legal system is based on English common law
Executive: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or
the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed chief minister by the governor parliamentary members of the majority party
elections: last held 15 February 2010 (next to be held in 2015)
Legislative: Unicameral House of Assembly (11 seats; 7 members elected by direct popular vote, 2 ex officio members, and 2
appointed; to serve five-year terms); elections: last held 15 February 2010 (next to be held in 2015)
Judicial: High Court (judge provided by Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court)
Executive: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or
the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed chief minister by the governor parliamentary members of the majority party
elections: last held 15 February 2010 (next to be held in 2015)
Legislative: Unicameral House of Assembly (11 seats; 7 members elected by direct popular vote, 2 ex officio members, and 2
appointed; to serve five-year terms); elections: last held 15 February 2010 (next to be held in 2015)
Judicial: High Court (judge provided by Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court)
| LANGUAGES |
English (official)
| BRIEF HISTORY |
The earliest inhabitants of Anguilla were Amerindian tribes from South America, commonly (if imprecisely) referred to as Arawaks,
who travelled to the island on rafts and in dugout canoes, settling in fishing, hunting and farming groups. The Amerindian name for
the island was "Malliouhana". The earliest Amerindian artefacts found on Anguilla have been dated to around 1300 BC, and remains
of settlements dating from 600 AD. have been uncovered. Religious artefacts and remnants of ceremonies found at locations such as
Big Springs and Fountain Cavern suggest that the pre-European inhabitants were extremely religious in nature. The Arawaks are
popularly said to have been later displaced by fiercer Carib tribes, but this version of events is disputed by some. The European
discovery and naming of Anguilla is often credited to French explorer Pierre Laudonnaire who visited the island in 1565, though
according to some it had been sighted and named by Columbus in 1493. The Dutch claimed to have built a fort on the island in
1631, but no remains have been found and the location of the site is unknown. The first English colonists arrived from Saint Kitts in
1650, and began growing both tobacco and corn crops. The early colonisation was precarious: in 1656 Carib Indians invaded and
destroyed the settlements, and in 1666 the island was captured by French forces. However, the British regained control of the
island from the French in 1667 under the Treaty of Breda, and despite hardships caused by poor crop yields, drought and famine,
the settlers hung on. In 1744 Anguillans invaded the French half of the neighbouring island of St Martin, holding it until the Treaty of
Aix-la-Chapelle (1748). During continuing struggles between the British and the French for control in the Caribbean, the French
made further attempts to invade Anguilla in 1745 and 1796 but these failed. Attempts were made to develop Anguilla into a
plantation-based economy employing slaves transported from Africa, but the island's soil and climate were unfavourable and the
plantations were largely unsuccessful. Slaves were permitted to leave the plantations and pursue their own interests, and, with the
British abolition of slavery in the 1830s, many plantation owners returned to Europe, leaving Anguilla's community consisting largely
of subsistence farmers and fishermen of African descent. At this time Anguilla's population is estimated to have fallen from a peak of
around 10,000 to just 2,000. Since the early days of colonisation, Anguilla had been administered by the British through Antigua,
with Anguilla also having its own local council. In 1824 the British government placed Anguilla under the administrative control of
Saint Kitts, later to become part of the colony of Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla (Saint Christopher being an earlier name for
Saint Kitts), itself a member of the Federal Colony of the Leeward Islands. Anguillans protested strongly at this arrangement,
perceiving a lack of interest in their affairs on the part of the Saint Kitts administration, and several requests were made for the island
to be ruled directly from Britain. These requests went unheeded however, and the Anguillans' discontent continued to simmer until
finally brought to a head in the 1960s. On 27 February 1967, Britain granted the territory of Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla the
status of "associated state", with its own constitution and a considerable degree of self-government. Many Anguillans strenuously
objected to the continuing political subservience to Saint Kitts, and on 30 May (known as Anguilla Day), the Saint Kitts police were
evicted from the island. The provisional government requested United States administration, which was declined. On 11 July 1967 a
referendum on Anguilla's secession from the fledgling state was held. The results were 1,813 votes for secession and 5 against. A
separate legislative council was immediately established. Peter Adams served as the first President, but when he agreed to take
Anguilla back to St. Kitts, he was deposed and replaced by Ronald Webster. In December 1967, two members of Britain's
Parliament worked out an interim agreement by which for one year a British official would exercise basic administrative authority
along with the Anguilla Council. Tony Lee took the position in January 1968, but by the end of the term no agreement had been
reached on the long-term future of the island's governance. On February 7, 1969 Anguilla held a second referendum resulting in a
vote of 1,739 to 4 against returning to association with Saint Kitts. At this point Anguilla declared itself an independent republic,
with Webster again serving as President. A new British envoy, William Whitlock, arrived on 11 March 1969 with a proposal for a
new interim British administration. He was quickly expelled. On 19 March a contingent of British "Red Devil" Brigade paratroops,
plus 40 London police officers, peacefully landed on the island, ostensibly to "restore order". That autumn the troops left and Army
engineers were brought in to improve the public works. Tony Lee returned as Commissioner and in 1971 worked out another
"interim agreement" with the islanders. Effectively Anguilla was allowed to secede from Saint Kitts and Nevis; however it was not
until 19 December 1980 that Anguilla formally disassociated itself from Saint Kitts to become a separate British dependency. While
Saint Kitts and Nevis went on to gain full independence from Britain in 1983, Anguilla still remains a British overseas territory. In
recent years Anguilla has become an up-market tourist destination, and tourism is one of the mainstays of the economy. Fishing is
another important economic activity, and a financial services sector is also being developed. The modern population of Anguilla is
largely of African descent, with a minority having European (mainly British) ancestry.
Source: Wikipedia: History of Anguilla
who travelled to the island on rafts and in dugout canoes, settling in fishing, hunting and farming groups. The Amerindian name for
the island was "Malliouhana". The earliest Amerindian artefacts found on Anguilla have been dated to around 1300 BC, and remains
of settlements dating from 600 AD. have been uncovered. Religious artefacts and remnants of ceremonies found at locations such as
Big Springs and Fountain Cavern suggest that the pre-European inhabitants were extremely religious in nature. The Arawaks are
popularly said to have been later displaced by fiercer Carib tribes, but this version of events is disputed by some. The European
discovery and naming of Anguilla is often credited to French explorer Pierre Laudonnaire who visited the island in 1565, though
according to some it had been sighted and named by Columbus in 1493. The Dutch claimed to have built a fort on the island in
1631, but no remains have been found and the location of the site is unknown. The first English colonists arrived from Saint Kitts in
1650, and began growing both tobacco and corn crops. The early colonisation was precarious: in 1656 Carib Indians invaded and
destroyed the settlements, and in 1666 the island was captured by French forces. However, the British regained control of the
island from the French in 1667 under the Treaty of Breda, and despite hardships caused by poor crop yields, drought and famine,
the settlers hung on. In 1744 Anguillans invaded the French half of the neighbouring island of St Martin, holding it until the Treaty of
Aix-la-Chapelle (1748). During continuing struggles between the British and the French for control in the Caribbean, the French
made further attempts to invade Anguilla in 1745 and 1796 but these failed. Attempts were made to develop Anguilla into a
plantation-based economy employing slaves transported from Africa, but the island's soil and climate were unfavourable and the
plantations were largely unsuccessful. Slaves were permitted to leave the plantations and pursue their own interests, and, with the
British abolition of slavery in the 1830s, many plantation owners returned to Europe, leaving Anguilla's community consisting largely
of subsistence farmers and fishermen of African descent. At this time Anguilla's population is estimated to have fallen from a peak of
around 10,000 to just 2,000. Since the early days of colonisation, Anguilla had been administered by the British through Antigua,
with Anguilla also having its own local council. In 1824 the British government placed Anguilla under the administrative control of
Saint Kitts, later to become part of the colony of Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla (Saint Christopher being an earlier name for
Saint Kitts), itself a member of the Federal Colony of the Leeward Islands. Anguillans protested strongly at this arrangement,
perceiving a lack of interest in their affairs on the part of the Saint Kitts administration, and several requests were made for the island
to be ruled directly from Britain. These requests went unheeded however, and the Anguillans' discontent continued to simmer until
finally brought to a head in the 1960s. On 27 February 1967, Britain granted the territory of Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla the
status of "associated state", with its own constitution and a considerable degree of self-government. Many Anguillans strenuously
objected to the continuing political subservience to Saint Kitts, and on 30 May (known as Anguilla Day), the Saint Kitts police were
evicted from the island. The provisional government requested United States administration, which was declined. On 11 July 1967 a
referendum on Anguilla's secession from the fledgling state was held. The results were 1,813 votes for secession and 5 against. A
separate legislative council was immediately established. Peter Adams served as the first President, but when he agreed to take
Anguilla back to St. Kitts, he was deposed and replaced by Ronald Webster. In December 1967, two members of Britain's
Parliament worked out an interim agreement by which for one year a British official would exercise basic administrative authority
along with the Anguilla Council. Tony Lee took the position in January 1968, but by the end of the term no agreement had been
reached on the long-term future of the island's governance. On February 7, 1969 Anguilla held a second referendum resulting in a
vote of 1,739 to 4 against returning to association with Saint Kitts. At this point Anguilla declared itself an independent republic,
with Webster again serving as President. A new British envoy, William Whitlock, arrived on 11 March 1969 with a proposal for a
new interim British administration. He was quickly expelled. On 19 March a contingent of British "Red Devil" Brigade paratroops,
plus 40 London police officers, peacefully landed on the island, ostensibly to "restore order". That autumn the troops left and Army
engineers were brought in to improve the public works. Tony Lee returned as Commissioner and in 1971 worked out another
"interim agreement" with the islanders. Effectively Anguilla was allowed to secede from Saint Kitts and Nevis; however it was not
until 19 December 1980 that Anguilla formally disassociated itself from Saint Kitts to become a separate British dependency. While
Saint Kitts and Nevis went on to gain full independence from Britain in 1983, Anguilla still remains a British overseas territory. In
recent years Anguilla has become an up-market tourist destination, and tourism is one of the mainstays of the economy. Fishing is
another important economic activity, and a financial services sector is also being developed. The modern population of Anguilla is
largely of African descent, with a minority having European (mainly British) ancestry.
Source: Wikipedia: History of Anguilla
| ECONOMIC OVERVIEW |
Anguilla has few natural resources, and the economy depends heavily on luxury tourism, offshore banking, lobster fishing, and
remittances from emigrants. Increased activity in the tourism industry has spurred the growth of the construction sector contributing
to economic growth. Anguillan officials have put substantial effort into developing the offshore financial sector, which is small but
growing. In the medium term, prospects for the economy will depend largely on the tourism sector and, therefore, on revived
income growth in the industrialized nations as well as on favorable weather conditions.
Source: CIA World Factbook (select Anguilla)
remittances from emigrants. Increased activity in the tourism industry has spurred the growth of the construction sector contributing
to economic growth. Anguillan officials have put substantial effort into developing the offshore financial sector, which is small but
growing. In the medium term, prospects for the economy will depend largely on the tourism sector and, therefore, on revived
income growth in the industrialized nations as well as on favorable weather conditions.
Source: CIA World Factbook (select Anguilla)
| POLITICAL CLIMATE |
Politics of Anguilla takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic dependency, whereby the Chief
Minister is the head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. Anguilla, the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the
Lesser Antilles, is an internally self-governing overseas territory of the United Kingdom. The United Nations Committee on
Decolonization includes Anguilla on the United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories. The territories constitution is Anguilla
Constitutional Order 1 April 1982 (amended 1990). Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested
in both the government and the House of Assembly. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. Military
defence is the responsibility of the United Kingdom.
The chief minister appointed by the governor from among the members of the House of Assembly His cabinet, the Executive
Council is appointed by the governor from among the elected members of the House of Assembly.
Anguilla elects on territorial level a legislature. The House of Assembly has 11 members, 7 members elected for a five year term in
single-seat constituencies, 2 ex officio members and 2 nominated members. The suffrage is from 18 years. Anguilla has a multi-party
system.
Source: Wikipedia: Politics of Anguilla
Minister is the head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. Anguilla, the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the
Lesser Antilles, is an internally self-governing overseas territory of the United Kingdom. The United Nations Committee on
Decolonization includes Anguilla on the United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories. The territories constitution is Anguilla
Constitutional Order 1 April 1982 (amended 1990). Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested
in both the government and the House of Assembly. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. Military
defence is the responsibility of the United Kingdom.
The chief minister appointed by the governor from among the members of the House of Assembly His cabinet, the Executive
Council is appointed by the governor from among the elected members of the House of Assembly.
Anguilla elects on territorial level a legislature. The House of Assembly has 11 members, 7 members elected for a five year term in
single-seat constituencies, 2 ex officio members and 2 nominated members. The suffrage is from 18 years. Anguilla has a multi-party
system.
Source: Wikipedia: Politics of Anguilla
| INTERNATIONAL DISPUTES |
None reported.
| REFUGEES AND INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS (IDPS) |
None reported.
| ILLICIT DRUGS |
Transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe.
| HUMAN RIGHTS STATEMENTS, ANALYSIS AND CRITIQUES |
September 10, 2009
COUNTRY DESCRIPTION:
Anguilla is a British overseas territory in the Caribbean, part of the British West Indies. It is a small but rapidly developing island.
CRIME:
While Anguilla's crime rate is relatively low, both petty and violent crimes do occur. There has been an increase in youth gang activity,
but this is mostly limited to local village centers, and there have been no known incidents involving tourists. Travelers should take
common-sense precautions to ensure their personal security, such as avoiding carrying large amounts of cash or displaying expensive
jewelry. Travelers should not leave valuables unattended in hotel rooms or on the beach. They should use hotel safety deposit facilities to
safeguard all valuables and travel documents. Similarly, they should keep their lodgings locked at all times, whether they are present or
away, and should not leave valuables in their vehicles, even when locked.
TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS:
While in a foreign country, U.S. citizens may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States. The
information below concerning Anguilla is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or
circumstance.
Unlike the U.S., traffic in Anguilla moves on the left. The few roads on the island are generally poorly paved and narrow. Traffic
generally moves at a slow pace. Although emergency services, including tow truck service is limited and inconsistent, local residents are
often willing to provide roadside assistance. For police, fire, or ambulance service dial 911.
Click here to read more »
COUNTRY DESCRIPTION:
Anguilla is a British overseas territory in the Caribbean, part of the British West Indies. It is a small but rapidly developing island.
CRIME:
While Anguilla's crime rate is relatively low, both petty and violent crimes do occur. There has been an increase in youth gang activity,
but this is mostly limited to local village centers, and there have been no known incidents involving tourists. Travelers should take
common-sense precautions to ensure their personal security, such as avoiding carrying large amounts of cash or displaying expensive
jewelry. Travelers should not leave valuables unattended in hotel rooms or on the beach. They should use hotel safety deposit facilities to
safeguard all valuables and travel documents. Similarly, they should keep their lodgings locked at all times, whether they are present or
away, and should not leave valuables in their vehicles, even when locked.
TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS:
While in a foreign country, U.S. citizens may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States. The
information below concerning Anguilla is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or
circumstance.
Unlike the U.S., traffic in Anguilla moves on the left. The few roads on the island are generally poorly paved and narrow. Traffic
generally moves at a slow pace. Although emergency services, including tow truck service is limited and inconsistent, local residents are
often willing to provide roadside assistance. For police, fire, or ambulance service dial 911.
Click here to read more »
COMMITTEE ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD
Forty-ninth Session
15 September – 3 October 2008
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD –
OVERSEAS TERRITORIES AND THE ISLE OF MAN
INTRODUCTION
Overseas Territories
The Overseas Territories have their own constitutions and laws. Depending on their stage of constitutional development, Overseas
Territories have a substantial measure of responsibility for the conduct of their internal affairs. Human rights in the Territories are a
devolved matter. It is primarily the responsibility of Territory governments to ensure that they meet their international obligations under
human rights conventions extended to them. However, the UK government attaches great importance to ensuring that the Overseas
Territories abide by the same basic standards of human rights as British people expect of the British government and regularly reminds
the Territories of their human rights obligations and the need to maintain high standards.
ANGUILLA
Part I
Please indicate the processes and mechanisms that exist to ensure an efficient coordination of policy and strategy development with
regard to programmes, services and laws for the implementation of the Convention in each devolved administration as well as in the
Overseas Territories.
An informal integrated approach currently exists in the management of child protection issues in Anguilla. There are no formalized
standards across institutions by which operations or responses to child protection issues are guided. Laws, regulations, enforcement,
education, prevention, and intervention strategies must be governed by mechanisms of coordination and cooperation.
Existing Processes and Mechanisms:
1. Child Protection Steering Committee
2. Family Law Bill Review Committee
3. Juvenile Rehabilitation Centre Steering Committee
4. Poor Law Board
The first link in the chain of national formalization of child protection systems appears to be the outcome of the efforts of Child
Protection Programme for the British overseas Territories through the local Child Protection Steering Committee. The latter is a multi-
agency body whose initial goals are the development of a National Action Plan for Child Protection followed by the Development of Child
Protection Protocols.
Click here to read more »
Forty-ninth Session
15 September – 3 October 2008
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD –
OVERSEAS TERRITORIES AND THE ISLE OF MAN
INTRODUCTION
Overseas Territories
The Overseas Territories have their own constitutions and laws. Depending on their stage of constitutional development, Overseas
Territories have a substantial measure of responsibility for the conduct of their internal affairs. Human rights in the Territories are a
devolved matter. It is primarily the responsibility of Territory governments to ensure that they meet their international obligations under
human rights conventions extended to them. However, the UK government attaches great importance to ensuring that the Overseas
Territories abide by the same basic standards of human rights as British people expect of the British government and regularly reminds
the Territories of their human rights obligations and the need to maintain high standards.
ANGUILLA
Part I
Please indicate the processes and mechanisms that exist to ensure an efficient coordination of policy and strategy development with
regard to programmes, services and laws for the implementation of the Convention in each devolved administration as well as in the
Overseas Territories.
An informal integrated approach currently exists in the management of child protection issues in Anguilla. There are no formalized
standards across institutions by which operations or responses to child protection issues are guided. Laws, regulations, enforcement,
education, prevention, and intervention strategies must be governed by mechanisms of coordination and cooperation.
Existing Processes and Mechanisms:
1. Child Protection Steering Committee
2. Family Law Bill Review Committee
3. Juvenile Rehabilitation Centre Steering Committee
4. Poor Law Board
The first link in the chain of national formalization of child protection systems appears to be the outcome of the efforts of Child
Protection Programme for the British overseas Territories through the local Child Protection Steering Committee. The latter is a multi-
agency body whose initial goals are the development of a National Action Plan for Child Protection followed by the Development of Child
Protection Protocols.
Click here to read more »
No Reports from Freedom House mentioning Anguilla after exhaustive search of their database. Please forward any
information you may have regarding Freedom House efforts on behalf of Anguilla to the Pax Gaea World Report editor at the
link below
Contact the editor »
information you may have regarding Freedom House efforts on behalf of Anguilla to the Pax Gaea World Report editor at the
link below
Contact the editor »
Summit of the Americas fails to address human rights
20 April 2009
The fifth Summit of the Americas has failed to recognize that human rights must be placed at the centre of efforts to confront the many
fundamental challenges facing the region.
Governments from every country in the Americas, except for Cuba, took part in the four-yearly meeting held in Port of Spain, Trinidad
and Tobago, between 17 and 19 April.
The 34 heads of state and government discussed the Summit's three principal themes: human prosperity, energy security and
environmental sustainability.
The Declaration of Commitment of Port of Spain was adopted by consensus at the close of the Summit on 19 April. Based on the three
themes, the Declaration fails to lay out a clear human rights framework for progress in these areas.
A number of governments, including Venezuela, Bolivia, Nicaragua and Honduras, indicated that they were not prepared to formally sign
the Declaration. Leaders agreed to instead adopt it by consensus and have Trinidadian Prime Minister Manning sign on behalf of all
leaders.
The governments that had registered objections did not feel that the Declaration deals adequately with the current global economic crisis.
They also wanted to see strong references to the issue of Cuba's reintegration into Organization of American States (OAS) and the lifting
of the US embargo against Cuba.
Amnesty International delegates at the Summit urged the governments of the region to make a firm commitment to ensuring that all
measures taken in response to the current global economic crisis fully conform to their human rights obligations. But the recognition in
the Declaration of the responsibility governments have to address the crisis does not acknowledge human rights at all.
"At a time of global economic turmoil and with a new spirit of compromise in the air between the government of US President Barrack
Obama and other governments in the Americas this Summit offered an unparalleled opportunity to lay out a strong human rights vision
for the Americas," said Alex Neve, Secretary General of Amnesty International Canada, who was part of the Amnesty International
delegation at the Summit. "Instead, human rights have once again been pushed to the back."
Click here to read more »
20 April 2009
The fifth Summit of the Americas has failed to recognize that human rights must be placed at the centre of efforts to confront the many
fundamental challenges facing the region.
Governments from every country in the Americas, except for Cuba, took part in the four-yearly meeting held in Port of Spain, Trinidad
and Tobago, between 17 and 19 April.
The 34 heads of state and government discussed the Summit's three principal themes: human prosperity, energy security and
environmental sustainability.
The Declaration of Commitment of Port of Spain was adopted by consensus at the close of the Summit on 19 April. Based on the three
themes, the Declaration fails to lay out a clear human rights framework for progress in these areas.
A number of governments, including Venezuela, Bolivia, Nicaragua and Honduras, indicated that they were not prepared to formally sign
the Declaration. Leaders agreed to instead adopt it by consensus and have Trinidadian Prime Minister Manning sign on behalf of all
leaders.
The governments that had registered objections did not feel that the Declaration deals adequately with the current global economic crisis.
They also wanted to see strong references to the issue of Cuba's reintegration into Organization of American States (OAS) and the lifting
of the US embargo against Cuba.
Amnesty International delegates at the Summit urged the governments of the region to make a firm commitment to ensuring that all
measures taken in response to the current global economic crisis fully conform to their human rights obligations. But the recognition in
the Declaration of the responsibility governments have to address the crisis does not acknowledge human rights at all.
"At a time of global economic turmoil and with a new spirit of compromise in the air between the government of US President Barrack
Obama and other governments in the Americas this Summit offered an unparalleled opportunity to lay out a strong human rights vision
for the Americas," said Alex Neve, Secretary General of Amnesty International Canada, who was part of the Amnesty International
delegation at the Summit. "Instead, human rights have once again been pushed to the back."
Click here to read more »
No Reports from Human Rights Watch mentioning Anguilla after exhaustive search of their database. Please forward any
information you may have regarding Human Rights Watch efforts on behalf of Anguilla to the Pax Gaea World Report editor
at the link below
Contact the editor »
information you may have regarding Human Rights Watch efforts on behalf of Anguilla to the Pax Gaea World Report editor
at the link below
Contact the editor »
March 24, 2010
The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Family Law Reform Project
The Anguilla Family Law Reform Committee presents:
"Advancing Women’s Human Rights through the Law: Enact; Enforce; Promote – Family Laws in 2010"
The Family Law Reform Project for the Eastern Caribbean commenced in 2001. In 2010, Anguilla has not implemented any legislation
that would serve as the foundation for advancing the human rights of women and children. The Family Law Reform Committee, whose
mandate is to review the OECS Family Law model legislation, notes that this dire state of affairs simply cannot continue in Anguilla. We
must commit to the enactment and enforcement of the family laws to protect the most vulnerable group in our society – our women and
children. The month of March has been chosen as the time frame to sensitise the public and promote the OECS Family Law Reform
Project particularly because March 08 is International Women’s Day; a day which marks the economic, political and social achievements
of women throughout the world. 2010 is the year that we commit to the development and advancement of women’s human rights as a
public goal through enactment, enforcement and promotion of Family Law in Anguilla.
The OECS Family Law Reform Project is a part of the wider Judiciary and Legal Reform Project of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme
Court and it reflects the commitment by the OECS Governments to develop harmonized model Family Legislation for the Member
States. The project has two general aims:
i. to increase the capacity of the judicial and legal system by providing laws that address issues surrounding women, children and the
family thereby enhancing the administration of law and the quality of justice in the OECS;
ii. to strengthen institutional capacity by creating a climate that would facilitate greater access to justice by resolving matters related to
the family and children in a more holistic manner.
The International Conventions that inform the model legislation are:
i. the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC),
ii. the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW),
iii. the Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment & Eradication of Violence Against Women also known as the
"Convention of Belem do Para"
These conventions together with a focus of the international community on advancing human rights acted as the impetus to reform
family law in the OECS.
Click here to read more »
The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Family Law Reform Project
The Anguilla Family Law Reform Committee presents:
"Advancing Women’s Human Rights through the Law: Enact; Enforce; Promote – Family Laws in 2010"
The Family Law Reform Project for the Eastern Caribbean commenced in 2001. In 2010, Anguilla has not implemented any legislation
that would serve as the foundation for advancing the human rights of women and children. The Family Law Reform Committee, whose
mandate is to review the OECS Family Law model legislation, notes that this dire state of affairs simply cannot continue in Anguilla. We
must commit to the enactment and enforcement of the family laws to protect the most vulnerable group in our society – our women and
children. The month of March has been chosen as the time frame to sensitise the public and promote the OECS Family Law Reform
Project particularly because March 08 is International Women’s Day; a day which marks the economic, political and social achievements
of women throughout the world. 2010 is the year that we commit to the development and advancement of women’s human rights as a
public goal through enactment, enforcement and promotion of Family Law in Anguilla.
The OECS Family Law Reform Project is a part of the wider Judiciary and Legal Reform Project of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme
Court and it reflects the commitment by the OECS Governments to develop harmonized model Family Legislation for the Member
States. The project has two general aims:
i. to increase the capacity of the judicial and legal system by providing laws that address issues surrounding women, children and the
family thereby enhancing the administration of law and the quality of justice in the OECS;
ii. to strengthen institutional capacity by creating a climate that would facilitate greater access to justice by resolving matters related to
the family and children in a more holistic manner.
The International Conventions that inform the model legislation are:
i. the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC),
ii. the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW),
iii. the Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment & Eradication of Violence Against Women also known as the
"Convention of Belem do Para"
These conventions together with a focus of the international community on advancing human rights acted as the impetus to reform
family law in the OECS.
Click here to read more »
Human Rights Training Workshop to be held
Mon 18 October, 2010
A Human Rights Training Workshop will begin here today at Blue Ridge Convention Center.
The five-day workshop deals with Building Human Rights Capacity in the British Overseas Territories in the Caribbean.
Persons will be drawn from Police, Prison, Labour, Immigration, Social Development, the Attorney General’s Chambers, Magistrates,
Permanent Secretaries, Heads of Department, Executive Council, Youth and Culture, National Youth Council, Media, and Civil Society.
Remarks will be made by Mrs Catherine Firth from the Governor’s office, Attorney General Mr Wilhelm Bourne, course facilitators
Stephanie Aiyagarie and Dave Holness.
Minister of Home Affairs Mr Walcott Richardson will deliver the feature address.
The conference aims to provide participants with the foundation or building blocks about human rights and will look at areas such as;
'What are human rights', 'Where are they found at the international level', 'Which rights apply to Anguilla' and 'The difference between
political and civil rights; and the difference between economic, social and cultural rights.'
Click here to read more »
Mon 18 October, 2010
A Human Rights Training Workshop will begin here today at Blue Ridge Convention Center.
The five-day workshop deals with Building Human Rights Capacity in the British Overseas Territories in the Caribbean.
Persons will be drawn from Police, Prison, Labour, Immigration, Social Development, the Attorney General’s Chambers, Magistrates,
Permanent Secretaries, Heads of Department, Executive Council, Youth and Culture, National Youth Council, Media, and Civil Society.
Remarks will be made by Mrs Catherine Firth from the Governor’s office, Attorney General Mr Wilhelm Bourne, course facilitators
Stephanie Aiyagarie and Dave Holness.
Minister of Home Affairs Mr Walcott Richardson will deliver the feature address.
The conference aims to provide participants with the foundation or building blocks about human rights and will look at areas such as;
'What are human rights', 'Where are they found at the international level', 'Which rights apply to Anguilla' and 'The difference between
political and civil rights; and the difference between economic, social and cultural rights.'
Click here to read more »
31 March, 2010
Human rights
And now for something quite different
A few weeks ago, Wycliffe Richardson, the owner and manager of ATV3, suggested that I do a series of 15-30 minute TV presentations
on legal issues in Anguilla. We have now produced over a dozen scripts.
Some of the first ones dealt with the elections law. They were broadcast in the weeks before our recently concluded general elections.
When the elections were over, he suggested that I do a review of the Constitution, highlighting some of the major issues. Constitutional
reform should be high on the agenda of the new Government. Anguilla and Montserrat are the only Overseas Territories in the West
Indies that have not completed the process of reviewing and updating our Constitutions.
So, let us look at some of the constitutional issues that I feel are worth considering.
When discussing the Anguilla Constitution of 1982, it is as well to start at the beginning. If you should thumb through the Constitution,
as one is wont to do in spare moments, the first thing you come to is Chapter 1, Protection of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms. The
Golden Rule that you should treat others as you would have them treat you is of great antiquity, the foundation of some of the great
religions. By contrast, the concept of fundamental human rights and freedoms is not something natural to humanity that has existed
since time immemorial, through all cultures and nations. Many of us do not realise that the concept is a relatively modern one, a product
of the Holocaust and World War II.
It is only recently that it has been generally accepted that we human beings have fundamental rights. Modern recorded history begins
with the invention of writing some 3-4,000 years ago. During most of the succeeding time, up until the end of the Second World War,
we lived under various regimes that cheerfully permitted our governments to hang, draw and quarter any of us whose lives were deemed
to be contrary to the public interest. It was only when the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted and proclaimed the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights that everything changed.
For this we have to thank a widow, Eleanor Roosevelt. Eleanor Roosevelt had been the First Lady of the United States while her
husband, Franklin D Roosevelt, was the President of the United States from 1933 to 1945. After his death, President Harry S Truman
made her a member of the US delegation to the United Nations. There, she was elected to chair the committee that drafted and approved
the Universal Declaration. She played an instrumental role in drafting the Declaration, calling it “the international Magna Carta of all
mankind”. The Declaration was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 10 December 1948. The vote of the General Assembly was
unanimous, except for eight abstentions, by Muslim countries which took exception to the implications of the Declaration as to freedom
in marriage. President Truman called her “The First Lady of the World” in tribute to her human rights achievements.
Click here to read more>>
Human rights
And now for something quite different
A few weeks ago, Wycliffe Richardson, the owner and manager of ATV3, suggested that I do a series of 15-30 minute TV presentations
on legal issues in Anguilla. We have now produced over a dozen scripts.
Some of the first ones dealt with the elections law. They were broadcast in the weeks before our recently concluded general elections.
When the elections were over, he suggested that I do a review of the Constitution, highlighting some of the major issues. Constitutional
reform should be high on the agenda of the new Government. Anguilla and Montserrat are the only Overseas Territories in the West
Indies that have not completed the process of reviewing and updating our Constitutions.
So, let us look at some of the constitutional issues that I feel are worth considering.
When discussing the Anguilla Constitution of 1982, it is as well to start at the beginning. If you should thumb through the Constitution,
as one is wont to do in spare moments, the first thing you come to is Chapter 1, Protection of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms. The
Golden Rule that you should treat others as you would have them treat you is of great antiquity, the foundation of some of the great
religions. By contrast, the concept of fundamental human rights and freedoms is not something natural to humanity that has existed
since time immemorial, through all cultures and nations. Many of us do not realise that the concept is a relatively modern one, a product
of the Holocaust and World War II.
It is only recently that it has been generally accepted that we human beings have fundamental rights. Modern recorded history begins
with the invention of writing some 3-4,000 years ago. During most of the succeeding time, up until the end of the Second World War,
we lived under various regimes that cheerfully permitted our governments to hang, draw and quarter any of us whose lives were deemed
to be contrary to the public interest. It was only when the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted and proclaimed the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights that everything changed.
For this we have to thank a widow, Eleanor Roosevelt. Eleanor Roosevelt had been the First Lady of the United States while her
husband, Franklin D Roosevelt, was the President of the United States from 1933 to 1945. After his death, President Harry S Truman
made her a member of the US delegation to the United Nations. There, she was elected to chair the committee that drafted and approved
the Universal Declaration. She played an instrumental role in drafting the Declaration, calling it “the international Magna Carta of all
mankind”. The Declaration was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 10 December 1948. The vote of the General Assembly was
unanimous, except for eight abstentions, by Muslim countries which took exception to the implications of the Declaration as to freedom
in marriage. President Truman called her “The First Lady of the World” in tribute to her human rights achievements.
Click here to read more>>
| Click map for larger view |
| Click flag for Country Report |
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Queen since 6 February 1952
Queen since 6 February 1952
Alistair Harrison
Governor since 21 April 2009
Governor since 21 April 2009
| TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS |
None reported.
