📋 Tender Overview
1. Overview of the human rights and democracy situation: Nauru, the world's smallest republic (population of about 12 500), gained its independence in 1968. It has a long history of political instability, with nearly 20 different governments ruling the country over the last decade. Nauru does not have formal political parties. Independent members of parliament will typically form a majority government through alliances, based on individual and family interests.
While Nauru citizens generally enjoy political rights and civil liberties, the earlier Baron Waqa government stood for an increasingly authoritarian rule, until Waga was voted out in 2019. The government’s capacity to ratify and implement international human rights treaties remains constrained by financial and administrative capacity considerations, as well as the reporting burden. Nauru has not yet established a National Human Rights Institution in line with the Paris Principles.
Nauru is hosting the Nauru Regional Processing Centre, an Australian offshore immigration facility. According to the Refugee Council of Australia, refugees currently on Nauru are all living in the Nauruan community, with no one living in the Regional Processing Centers since the end of March 2019.
Domestic violence, poverty and limited women representation in Parliament, remain the most serious impediments for the progress in the area of women’s rights in Nauru. The COVID-19 pandemic had negative impacts on Nauru as on other Pacific Island Countries, particularly in economic and social terms, despite avoiding the worst of the health impacts at the height of the pandemic.
Eliminating domestic violence is a national priority. The ‘Nauru National Women’s Policy’ assists in reflecting the gender performance indicators in the National Sustainable Development Strategies 2005-2025 and provides direction for all levels of society regarding Nauru’s gender priorities. The government has a Directorate of Women's Affairs within the Department of Home Affairs that is responsible for monitoring and improving the status of women and the quality of their lives. Nauru has a National Action Plan for Women focusing on issues such as women’s health, violence against women, education and training for women, women in decision-making, and women’s participation in the economy.
As regards freedom of press and media, the criminalisation of criticism towards the government remains an important concern. The government requirement for hefty visa application fees for media personnel poses difficulties for foreign media to report on Nauru’s domestic affairs. Some human rights groups see this as a covert way of restricting access for foreign journalists. Moreover, the Crimes Act 2016 introduced criminal charges for defamation, punishable with up to three years in prison. Several newspapers ceased activities in the past decade, and currently there are only government-operated media and information outlets.
Climate change has become an important human rights issue in Nauru. As the climate crisis in the Pacific further escalates, Nauru citizens may soon start experiencing reduced access to water, food and other basic services. This may lead to an increase in migration pressure.
2. EU action - key focus areas: Presently, there is no key focus area in Nauru as the EU is not providing any bilateral support to Nauru under the new programming.
3. EU bilateral political engagement: During 2022, the EU Delegation for the Pacific reached out numerous times to the Nauru government via demarches in order to foster support for the EU’s human rights priorities and initiatives at the UN and other international fora.
4. EU financial engagement: The EU is no longer providing bilateral support to Nauru under the new programming cycle. However, Nauru remains eligible to participate in regional programmes, such as a new Public Finance Management, Oversight and Accountability programme, a project on integrated ocean management, and activities of the Regional Pacific Nationally Determined Contribution Hub.
5. Multilateral context: Nauru completed its third Universal Periodic Review in February 2021.
Nauru has condemned in international fora Russia’s war in Ukraine. It voted in support of all five Ukraine-related UNGA resolutions. Nauru is also a key ally together with other Pacific Islands Countries in the fight against Climate Change.
Nauru is party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. Nauru is party to the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol.
