Human Rights in The British Virgin Islands

Human Rights In The British Virgin Islands

In practice, basic human rights are broadly respected in the British Virgin Islands (BVI). Reports of repression of freedom of speech, interference with democracy or the rule of law, and arbitrary arrest and torture are virtually unknown. The BVI have been described as “generally free of human rights abuses” and its government has been characterised as taking “a strong and proactive approach to the protection of human rights.”

However, the laws in the British Virgin Islands do openly discriminate against people who do not hold what is called “belonger status.” This form of discrimination is expressly preserved in the BVI constitution, which excludes non-belongers from the full scope of its non-discrimination protections. Belongers and non-belongers enjoy unequal rights to employment and to the right to purchase property, and in certain cases non-belongers are made subject to higher rates of taxation. Also, non-belongers in certain professions are subject to exploitation and abuse which their status makes it more difficult for them to challenge