Universal Periodic Review
The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism is a process for reviewing the fulfillment by every UN member state of its human rights obligations and commitments.
Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) and "other relevant stakeholders" can participate in the UPR process in various ways, including by submitting "credible and reliable information" in writing. Submissions received from NGOs and others will be summarized by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and compiled in an official 10-page UN document. This summary will be one of the three documents on which the review of each country will be based (the other two documents being the state's own report, and a compilation of recent recommendations by other UN human rights mechanisms).
The first four-year cycle of the UPR mechanism began in 2008.
The fourth session of the UPR Working Group will take place in Geneva on 5-16 February 2009.
The following countries will be reviewed:Cameroon, Djibouti, Mauritius, Nigeria, Senegal, Bangladesh, China, Jordan, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Cuba, Mexico, Canada, Germany, Russian Federation and Azerbaijan.
Deadline for submissions: 1st September 2008
(If you are interested in contributing to a submission on one of the above countries, contact Mr Peter Prove by email on pnp@lutheranworld.org or by fax no. +41 22 7916630.)
The second session of the UPR Working Group took place on 5-19 May 2008.
- Benin
- France
LWF summary report - Gabon
- Ghana
LWF summary report - Guatemala
LWF summary report - Japan
LWF summary report - Mali
- Pakistan
- Peru
LWF summary report - Republic of Korea
- Romania
LWF summary report - Sri Lanka
LWF summary report - Switzerland
- Tonga
- Ukraine
LWF summary report - Zambia
LWF summary report
The first session of the UPR Working Group took place on 7-18 April 2008.
- Algeria
- Argentina
LWF summary report - Bahrain
- Brazil
LWF summary report - Czech Republic
LWF summary report - Ecuador
- Finland
LWF summary report - India
LWF summary report - Indonesia
LWF summary report - Morocco
- Netherlands
LWF summary report - Philippines
LWF summary report - Poland
LWF summary report - South Africa
LWF summary report - Tunisia
- United Kingdom
Background information on NGO participation in the UPR
According to HRC Resolution 5/1, NGOs and other relevant stakeholders can formally participate in the UPR process in the following ways:
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Contributing to the preparation of the material on which the review will be based, including by:
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monitoring the preparation of material by the State concerned, which should take the form of a national report not exceeding 20 pages, and by engaging in the national consultation process that HRC Resolution 5/1 recommends;
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providing any additional, credible and reliable information to the OHCHR, for inclusion in the summary of information received from other relevant stakeholders.
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NGOs and other relevant stakeholders can attend the reviews (which will take the form of interactive dialogues with the State concerned) in the UPR Working Group sessions.
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NGOs and other relevant stakeholders will have the opportunity to make general comments before the adoption of the outcome by the Plenary of the HRC.
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As appropriate, NGOs and other relevant stakeholders may contribute to the implementation of the outcome of the review.
Informally, NGOs would have opportunities to create additional spaces for interaction with the State concerned, Member States and non Member States of the HRC, Rapporteurs, etc.
NGO submissions for the summary of other stakeholders' information
According to HRC Resolution 5/1, "Additional, credible and reliable information provided by other relevant stakeholders to the universal periodic review… should also be taken into consideration by the Council in the review. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights will prepare a summary of such information which shall not exceed 10 pages". The OHCHR encourages NGOs to limit each submission to a maximum of 5 pages
