๐๐จ๐ง. ๐๐ฐ๐๐ฆ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ฒ, ๐๐ข๐ง๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐ข๐๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ฆ๐ ๐๐ข๐ง๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ-๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐๐๐ฉ๐ฎ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฒ๐๐ง๐, ๐ฆ๐๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ญ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐จ๐ง ๐๐๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฒ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ญ๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ข๐ญ๐ญ๐๐ ๐จ๐ง ๐๐ฎ๐ฆ๐๐ง ๐๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ฆ๐จ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ข๐ญ๐ญ๐๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ-๐๐๐ซ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐๐ง๐ข๐จ๐ง (๐๐๐) ๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ฆ๐๐ฅ๐ฒ (๐๐๐ญ๐จ๐๐๐ซ ๐ – ๐, ๐๐๐๐) ๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐ซ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ก๐, ๐๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฉ๐ฎ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ณ๐๐ง๐ข๐. ๐๐ข๐ง๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ฒ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ง ๐๐ฆ๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐/๐๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐๐๐๐ง ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ฉ ๐ฆ๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ซ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐-๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐จ๐ง ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐๐ฎ ๐ ๐ฎ๐ข๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ค ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ข๐ญ๐ญ๐๐.
๐๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ญ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ๐ฌ: Guyana remains firmly committed to promoting and protecting human rights, strengthening democracy, and upholding the rule of law.
For us, human rights and democracy are not abstract principles confined to international declarations.
They are essential to the dignity of our people, the legitimacy of our institutions, and the sustainable development of our country.
Our Constitution provides the foundation for protecting fundamental rights and establishes institutions mandated to safeguard those rights.
Our commitment is demonstrated through active engagement with the international human rights system.
In 2025, Guyana participated in its Fourth Universal Periodic Review and supported 146 of the 206 recommendations received.
These commitments encompass strengthening democratic institutions, expanding access to justice and legal protection, advancing gender equality, protecting children and vulnerable groups, and promoting social inclusion.
We recognise that protecting human rights is a continuing national responsibility.
It requires more than legislation and formal institutions; it demands sustained investment in people, education, justice, accountability and equal opportunity.
Guyana is therefore strengthening its constitutional institutions and oversight mechanisms.
This includes supporting institutions such as the Elections Commission, the judiciary, the Audit Office, the Ombudsman, the Rights Commissions and other bodies whose mandates advance transparency, accountability and the protection of citizens.
Parliament also plays a central role in promoting and safeguarding democracy and human rights.
Through its legislative, representative and oversight functions, Parliament provides a forum for public debate, scrutinises the actions of the Executive, considers legislation that protects fundamental rights, and gives voice to the diverse concerns of citizens.
Guyana remains committed to strengthening parliamentary institutions, expanding inclusive participation, and ensuring that parliamentary processes advance transparency, accountability, good governance and democratic values.
Democracy, in our understanding, must be meaningful in the daily lives of citizens.
It must enable people to participate, express themselves freely, organise, vote, seek justice and hold public institutions accountable.
Our experience has underscored the importance of protecting the integrity of electoral processes and ensuring that the will of the people is respected.
The 2025 General and Regional Elections were conducted within the constitutional framework, and Guyana continues to strengthen the systems and safeguards that underpin credible democratic governance.
At the same time, we acknowledge that every democracy faces challenges. Human rights protection is not a destination a country reaches once and then leaves behind.
It is a continuous process of reflection, reform, institution-building and engagement with citizens and international partners.
Guyana also recognises that development and human rights are mutually reinforcing. Access to education, healthcare, housing, employment, social protection, justice and economic opportunity are essential dimensions of human dignity.
Our development agenda therefore seeks to ensure that the benefits of national progress reach communities throughout the country, including rural, hinterland and vulnerable communities.
As Guyana continues its transformation, we remain committed to ensuring that development is inclusive, participatory and rights-based.
We will continue working with our regional and international partners, including the United Nations human rights system, to apply best practices, strengthen our institutions, fulfil our international commitments and address areas requiring further progress.
Ultimately, our objective is clear: to build a Guyana in which democracy is stronger, human rights are respected, institutions are accountable, and every citizen can participate meaningfully in shaping the development and future of our country.
This is our continuing commitment, and we will advance it through concrete action, partnership and sustained national effort.
