A/HRC/54/10 Introduction 1. The Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, established in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 5/1, held its forty-third session from 1 to 12 May 2023. The review of the Bahamas was held at the 6th meeting, on 3 May 2023. The delegation of the Bahamas was headed by the Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Leo Ryan Pinder. At its 16th meeting, held on 10 May 2023, the Working Group adopted the report on the Bahamas. 2. On 11 January 2023, the Human Rights Council selected the following group of rapporteurs (troika) to facilitate the review of the Bahamas: Kazakhstan, Paraguay and Romania. 3. In accordance with paragraph 15 of the annex to Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 and paragraph 5 of the annex to Council resolution 16/21, the following documents were issued for the review of the Bahamas. (a) A national report submitted/written presentation made in accordance with paragraph 15 (a);1 (b) A compilation prepared by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in accordance with paragraph 15 (b); 2 (c) A summary prepared by OHCHR in accordance with paragraph 15 (c). 3 4. A list of questions prepared in advance by Angola, Belgium, Germany, Liechtenstein, Panama, Portugal, on behalf of the Group of Friends on national mechanisms for implementation, reporting and follow-up, Slovenia, Spain, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America was transmitted to the Bahamas through the troika. These questions are available on the website of the universal periodic review. I. Summary of the proceedings of the review process A. Presentation by the State under review 5. The delegation of the Bahamas highlighted that, on 10 July 2023, the country would celebrate 50 years of independence and 50 years as a member of the United Nations. 6. Hurricane Dorian and the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic had devastated the Bahamas in 2019 and 2020, respectively. The devastation had brought about an immeasurable loss of opportunity, income and growth, rolling back previous developmental gains made over decades, which had resulted in a deficit of $13.1 billion. 7. Although a de facto moratorium on executions had existed for more than two decades, the Bahamas was not in a position to ratify the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty, which remained lawful for certain crimes. However, the Privy Council of the Bahamas had narrowly restricted the circumstances in which the death penalty could be applied to the “worst of the worst” crimes. 8. Since the last review, there had been three reported cases of corporal punishment in schools. In the most recent incident, the school administrator had been placed on administrative leave. 9. While serving as a member of the Human Rights Council in 2019, the Bahamas had supported the Council’s resolution (41/18) in which it had renewed the mandate of the Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual 1 2 3 2 A/HRC/WG.6/43/BHS/1. A/HRC/WG.6/43/BHS/2. A/HRC/WG.6/43/BHS/3. GE.23-11804