The latter has played a major role in the implementation of human rights actions in Tuvalu given its geographical vulnerability and scarce resources.
[6] During its Universal Period Review in December 2008, Tuvalu accepted recommendations to ratify human rights treaties to which it is not yet a party, although the report noted that Tuvalu was not actively combating discriminatory societal behaviours, including by working at reforming domestic laws, in particular land and family laws, which require amendments in order to be in compliance with CEDAW.
[8] Tuvalu has commitments to ensuring human rights are respected under the Universal periodic Review (UPR), the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Te Kakeega III - National Strategy for Sustainable Development-2016-2020 (TK III), which sets out the development agenda of the Government of Tuvalu.
[10] It works to highlight problems facing women, including lack of access to education, or their legal, political and social rights.
[12] Police have been criticised for seeking to address violence against women using traditional and customary methods of reconciliation rather than criminal prosecution.
Legislative changes are proposed to give the Tuvalu police increased powers and allowing the courts to pass tougher sentences for crimes of violence against women.
[13] The UN CEDAW Committee observations on the 2015 review of Tuvalu notes the introduction of new domestic violence legislation, more participation by women in local council meetings and the end of some discriminatory education practices.
General elections are held every four years, unless the Prime Minister, with the support of his government, decides to call an earlier one.
[18] Metia’s refusal to follow through caused an uproar that ran a wedge through the community culminating in protests on the streets of Funafuti demanding that he step down.
The defendant argued that the people had just elected him the previous year to serve another term therefore, they have chosen him to fill the seat.
This issue brings to light the integrity of the ballot boxes and the right of the people, in a democratic society, to elect their preferred candidates.
Thus as current international law stands, Tuvaluans seeking to escape the effects of global warming are not privy to the extensive legal protections offered to those who do fulfill the definition of refugee.
[19] In 2014 attention was drawn to an appealed to the New Zealand Immigration and Protection Tribunal against the deportation of a Tuvaluan family on the basis that they were “climate change refugees”, who would suffer hardship resulting from the environmental degradation of Tuvalu.
[22] Permanent migration to Australia and New Zealand, such as for family reunification, requires compliance with the immigration legislation of those countries.
The primary role of the Chief Ombudsman is to work to achieve good governance through the enforcement of the Leadership Code Act.
However, according to the 2008 Universal Periodic Review, the People’s Lawyer’s Office has received complaints from religious organizations concerned by limitations on their activities in the outer islands.
Tuvalu has engaged with both cycles of the Universal Periodic Review (2008 and 2013) and has issued an open invitation onto the United Nations special rapporteur in April 2013.