Human rights in the British Virgin Islands

Reports of repression of freedom of speech, interference with democracy or the rule of law, and arbitrary arrest and torture are generally non-existent.

[1] Also, expats in certain professions, their families and children, are subject to exploitation and abuse which their status makes it more difficult for them to challenge.

[3] Section 9 of the constitution is entitled Fundamental rights and freedoms of the individual, and provides: Whereas every person in the Virgin Islands is entitled to the fundamental rights and freedoms of the individual; Whereas those fundamental rights and freedoms are enjoyed without distinction of any kind, such as sex, race, colour, language, religion, political or other opinion, national, ethnic or social origin, association with a national minority, property, family relations, economic status, disability, age, birth, sexual orientation, marital or other status, subject only to prescribed limitations; Whereas it is recognised that those fundamental rights and freedoms apply, subject to respect for the rights and freedoms of others and for the public interest, to each and all of the following, namely— (a) life, equality, liberty, security of the person and the protection of the law; (b) freedom of conscience, expression, movement, assembly and association; and (c) protection for private and family life, the privacy of the home and other property and from deprivation of property save in the public interest and on payment of fair compensation;

Since 2001, the HRRCC has also published pamphlets, held public meetings, and pursued other means of informing the people of BVI about their rights.

However having residency status does not entitle a person to vote or to hold a British Virgin Islands passport.

The lack of unions for non-belonger workers in many areas restricts their ability to complain effectively about mistreatment.

A person who enjoys BOTC status by virtue of parentage but who was not born in the BVI is not necessarily a belonger.

Persons who have spent a year or more in prison for committing a criminal offense are denied this status in such cases, however.

Same-sex activity was decriminalised in that year by an Order in Council by the British government, which acted only under pressure from the EU and UN and against the wishes of the majority of BVI residents.

[8] The office of the governor of the BVI organised a week-long program on "Building Human Rights Capacity" in July 2011, intended to improve the understanding and observance of human rights on the part of government officials, law-enforcement officers, immigration officials, and private citizens.

On 10 December 2011, it organized the islands' first official celebration of International Human Rights Day in hope that greater awareness could be brought to this very real and harrowing issue.