THE National Assembly on Wednesday adopted the Report of the Special Select Committee of the National Assembly on the United Nations Human Rights Council with regard to the abolition of corporal punishment in schools, the abolition of the death penalty and the decriminalisation of consensual adult same sex relations and discrimination against lesbians, gays, bi-sexuals and transgender persons.

The committee began work in 2012, following the move to adopt a motion addressing the three issues which were tabled by Prime Minister Samuel Hinds in August 2012. Government agreed to have the motion sent to the select committee.
PM Hinds had reported to the National Assembly then, that Guyana appeared before the United Nations Human Rights Council during the first cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in May 2010, and in September 2010. The second cycle is to take place in 2016.
Government is of the view that parliamentary consideration of these three matters would enhance the national examination procedurally, by being the subject of a Special Select Committee which would organise the national consultations in a complementary, credible way.
The motion seeks to have the National Assembly adopt the terms of reference which will guide the work of the Special Select Committee in the determination of: the attitude of Guyanese, especially parents and children, to corporal punishment and its possible abolition; the attitude of Guyanese, particularly the families of victims, criminologists and professionals on capital punishment and its possible abolition and the attitude of Guyanese of any changes in the legislative provisions and criminal code regarding consensual adult same sex relationships and discrimination, perceived or real, against lesbians, gays, bi-sexuals and transgender persons.