This update covers developments relating to the freedoms of expression, association and peaceful assembly in the Marshall Islands from 12th September 2025 to 1st October 2026.
GENERAL
UPR review: reports to five UN treaty bodies are overdue and a freedom of information law is still lacking
On 10th November 2025, the Marshall Islands underwent their fourth universal periodic review, a peer-review mechanism to assess the human rights situation of a country.
At the outset, the United Nations country team observed that the reports of the Marshall Islands to five treaty bodies (the Committee against Torture, the Human Rights Committee, the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the Committee on the Rights of the Child) were overdue.
Regarding freedom of association and peaceful assembly, the United Nations country team noted that civil society groups operated freely, and religious freedoms were respected in practice.
Regarding freedom of expression and access to information, UNESCO noted that no law on freedom of information existed in the country and recommended that the Government introduce such legislation in line with international standards.
Recognition of CSO work in country report on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
On 13th July 2026, the Marshall Islands released their second voluntary country report to the United Nations on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The report highlights several initiatives led by civil society organisations, such as the Youth to Youth in Health, an NGO which provides youth friendly services, especially around
sexual and reproductive health, and WUTMI, an NGO that provides legal and material assistance to women and girls who are victims of violence.
Visit of UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
From 7th to 17th September 2026, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Ms. Andrea Bolaños Vargas, was invited for a country visit to the Marshall Islands.
In her preliminary observations, she notes that the contribution of civil society organisations is recognised by the authorities and that they generally operate without restrictions and are largely free to promote and monitor human rights.
She recalled that Marshallese peoples have continued to advocate tirelessly for the recognition of the harms caused to them by the nuclear weapons testing that continued until 1958. Climate change is another global challenge that gives rise to similar human rights concerns and which impacts the islands heavily.
Today, the struggle for justice for the nuclear legacy is far from over. Marshallese communities continue to seek recognition, redress and reparation for the harms caused by nuclear testing, including its enduring impacts on their health, lands, culture, access to food and displacement.
- United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Ms. Andrea Bolaños Vargas
During her visit, Ms. Vargas also received information indicating that human rights defenders who exposed alleged corruption had been subjected to reprisals. According to 2026 information gathered by the U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre and Transparency International, the Marshall Islands see continuing reports of political corruption and fraudulent activity, including embezzlement and using public office for personal gain. This situation is compounded by a relatively large offshore corporate sector, as well as a new sector of internet-based autonomous organisations.
EXPRESSION
Media freedom celebration attended by Finance Minister
On 9th May 2026, an event and a short films competition took place in Majuro to celebrate media freedom. The event was sponsored by the Marshall Islands-based non-profit, Pacific Media Institute, in partnership with the Embassy of ROC/Taiwan.
In his speech, the Finance Minister acknowledged the challenges of journalism in a small island country like the Marshall Islands and noted that self-censorship by reporters is a concern. According to him, democracy will not die by decree on the island but could by “politeness” — a reference to island custom and the tight-knit social structure.
When you are free—when you can investigate, publish, and hold the line—you give democracy a weapon that no dictator or disinformation campaign can defeat.
- Finance Minister David Paul
LGBTQI+
After her country visit to the Marshall Islands, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders expressed the difficulty in identifying human rights defenders openly working on LGBTIQ+ rights in the Marshall Islands, the prevailing social attitudes limiting their space and visibility.