With a land mass of only about 702 sq km but spread in more than 2,600,000 sq km area of water, FSM consists of four states - Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei and Kosrae. The total number of islands is more than 600. Photo: Whereig.com
The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) has been urged to expand education access to children who live on remote islands.
It's one of the recommendations that came during the UN Human Rights Council's review of FSM's record, at a Universal Periodic Review hearing this week.
The Marshall Islands' permanent representative to the UN in Geneva, Doreen Debrum, laid out several recommendations for the FSM, including continual investment in education, with emphasis on expanding access to children living on remote islands.
"Continue efforts to ensure an inclusive approach to climate change adaptation measures, by promoting the meaningful participation of women, youth and other vulnerable groups."
The country was also urged by its peers to ratify several core human rights treaties already ratified by the vast majority of countries.
Fiji's representative in Geneva, Bulou Keleni Tikomaisuva-Seruvatu, noted this as part of her country's recommendations to Micronesia: "To ratify core human rights treaties, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, [the International Covenant on] Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman and other Degrading Human Treatment of Punishment."
The UK government said it commended Micronesia's progress in establishing stronger mechanisms to uphold human rights, including the National Policy to Eliminate Violence Against Women and Girls, and shelters for victims of human trafficking.
Its recommendations for the FSM included taking steps "to enhance women's participation in leadership positions, building on the welcome recent election of a woman as Lieutenant Governor of Pohnpei".
The Universal Periodic Review Working Group is set to adopt the report from the hearing on Friday, 30 January.
The first, second and third UPR reviews of the Federated States of Micronesia took place in November 2010, November 2015, and January 2021.
In the country's national report filed prior to Monday's hearing in Geneva, it said it's generally tracking well on meeting recommendations from earlier reviews.
"Some notable achievements of the FSM include significant advancements in gender equality, such as expanded access to health services and improved digital connectivity," the report said.
At FSM's last review in 2021, 50 delegations made statements and recommendations, with several countries sharing concerns around gender-based violence, as well as commending progress.
Other countries reviewed this month included Nauru, Nepal and Rwanda.
