First session of the Universal Periodic Review

The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group of the Human Rights Council has begun its first session, which runs from 7 to 18 April.

At the end of the session, the UPR Working Group will issue reports on each of the 16 countries reviewed, containing, inter alia, an objective and transparent assessment of the human rights situation of the country, including positive developments and challenges; recommendations on best practices; provision of technical assistance, in consultation with, and with the consent of the State under review; and voluntary commitments and pledges made by the country concerned.

“The Universal Periodic Review process … represents potentially the first universal and comprehensive tool for overseeing the application of the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in a consistent, comprehensive and meaningful manner,” High Commissioner Louise Arbour told the 47 Council members when she addressed the 6th session of the Council.

“We are acutely aware that the credibility of the United Nations human rights system hinges upon satisfactory implementation of the review, since the UPR has the potential to greatly influence and address human rights situations on the ground,” she said.

When the General Assembly agreed to establish the Human Rights Council in 2006, it also decided that the Council shall undertake a universal period review of all member states of the United Nations, and that all members of the Council shall be reviewed during their term of membership.

Under the UPR mechanism, all UN member states will be reviewed within a period of four years in the first cycle – with 48 countries to be reviewed each year.

The 16 countries currently under review during the first session of the UPR Working Group are Algeria, Argentina, Bahrain, Brazil, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Finland, India, Indonesia, Morocco, the Netherlands, the Philippines, Poland, South Africa, Tunisia, and United Kingdom.

The UPR Working Group is to meet three times in 2008. The second and third sessions are scheduled take place from 5 to 16 May and from 1 to 12 December respectively.

April 2008