On May 5, 2025, Grenada’s human rights record was reviewed for the 4th time at the 49th session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process in Geneva. The review was conducted as a peer review by the 47-member Working Group of the UN Human Rights Council, and was attended by all 193 UN Member States. The review was based on three reports: Grenada’s national report, information from UN reports by human rights experts and treaty bodies, and information received from other stakeholders, including civil society and regional organisations.
Key considerations identified in the review
A major focus of Grenada’s 2025 UPR was the death penalty. Grenada received 18 recommendations on capital punishment, many of which encouraged Grenada to move towards abolition and conform its legal framework with international human rights norms.
Grenada was expressly urged to ratify the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (OP2-ICCPR), which aims to outlaw the death sentence, in nine of the recommendations. For instance, Cyprus recommended that Grenada abolish the death penalty and introduce penalties in accordance with international human rights standards.
In addition, throughout the meeting more advocacy was directed at the discrimination and violence inflicted on LGBTIQ people in Grenada. Human rights defenders and organisations sought to ensure that the pressure remained on the government to stop discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity and were advocating for legal reform to protect these communities.
Recommendations and proposals
The Human Resources Council made numerous suggestions for Grenada to consider, including ratifying the Second Optional Protocol to the ICCPR, which abolishes the death penalty, reviewing national laws to abolish the death penalty and replace it with sanctions that comply with international human rights standards, and increasing protections and legal recognition for LGBTIQ+ people to reduce violence and discrimination.
Continuing implementation of past UPR recommendations with updates on human rights developments. Strengthening national human rights institutions and collaboration with UN human rights mechanisms. This mandate aims to facilitate Grenada in strengthening its human rights system and commitments through collaboration, technical assistance and mutual engagement through the UPR review process.
