3rd UPR cycle: contributions and participation of "other stakeholders" in the UPR

Through the Universal Periodic Review, the Human Rights Council will review, on a periodic basis, the fulfilment by each of the 193 United Nations Member States of their human rights obligations and commitments.

A review of a State is based on: (a) a national report prepared by the State under review; (b) a compilation of United Nations information on the State under review prepared by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR); and (c) a summary of information submitted by other stakeholders (including civil society actors, national human rights institutions and regional organizations), also prepared by OHCHR.

The review itself takes place in Geneva in a session of the Working Group on the UPR, which is composed of the 47 member States of the Human Rights Council. The review takes the form of an interactive dialogue between the State under review and the member and observer States of the Council. At the end of each review, the Working Group adopts an outcome document, which is subsequently considered and adopted by the Human Rights Council at a later session.

(a) Contributions to UPR documentation by “Other Stakeholders”, including civil society and national human rights institutions

The UPR process provides for the participation of all relevant stakeholders, including non-governmental organizations (NGOs), national human rights institutions (NHRIs) and regional mechanisms.

Civil society actors, NHRIs and regional mechanisms can submit written information for the report containing a summary of information submitted by other stakeholders, which is considered during the review.

Accredited stakeholders can also attend and observe the session of the UPR Working Group. Accredited stakeholders can also attend , and  make oral statements,  during the regular sessions of the Human Rights Council when the outcomes of the State reviews are considered.

Stakeholders – civil society organizations, national human rights institutions and regional mechanisms - should follow the technical guidelines for stakeholders submissions for the 3rd cycle issued by OHCHR, to send written contributions to UPR documentation.

The calendar of tentative deadlines for stakeholders’ submissions for the 4th cycle can be found at the following link.

Stakeholders’ submissions should be sent – according to the deadlines below - through the "On-line UPR submissions registration system" to register contributions for the UPR documentation from UN entities and stakeholders available in the following link: https://uprdoc.ohchr.org. Stakeholders should follow the Guidelines for the Use of the On-Line UPR Submissions Registration System" available in the Online system.

Important note: all UPR submissions must be submitted and received (through theOn-line system for registration of contributions) not later than the day of the given deadline (3:00 p.m. Geneva time). Late submissions will not be considered. Should organizations encounter technical problems using the Online system, please contact the UPR Submissions Helpdesk through the following email address: uprsubmissions@ohchr.org.

Any act of intimidation or reprisal for cooperation in the context of the UPR should be promptly reported to the UPR Secretariat (uprreprisals@ohchr.org) as well as to the reprisals team of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (reprisals@ohchr.org).

 (b) Participation of NGO’s in the UPR Working Group meetings and the regular sessions of the Human Rights Council

How to participate in a session of the Working Group?

NGOs in consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) can be accredited to participate in the session of the Working Group as Observers.

Economic and Social Council resolution 1996/31 of July 1996.

Check your NGO in the ECOSOC NGO database.

For information on how your NGO can apply for ECOSOC consultative status.

Quick links

1. NGO Information meetings: As Observers, NGOs are able to observe the proceedings without making oral or written statements at session of the Working Group, though may organize Information Meetings on the UPR process, with a view to sharing information and best practices. Requests to organise Information Meetings should be made through the NGO Parallel Event Registration Portal.　

Information regarding the 38th  session of the UPR Working Group (3 – 14 May 2021):
In light of the current COVID19 context, and in line with information from the United Nations Office at Geneva, in person side events cannot be held in Palais des Nations. For the sole purpose of information-sharing, external events that would be organized by NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC in parallel to the session could be listed on the OHCHR civil society webpage under the News Section.

In such cases, the NGOs should contact the Civil Society Team of OHCHR at hrcngo@ohchr.org – providing the details of their event (title, date, time, on-line link, and contact person). Please note that such NGO events will not be considered as official Human Rights Council events, and are held on the sole responsibility of the organizing NGOs, with the Secretariat bearing no responsibility whatsoever. 

Information note on the 36th session of the UPR Working Group – Subject to change (updated as of 29 October)

2. A Practical Guide for Civil Society: Information about accreditation, attending the session, access to the public gallery, requesting a room for an Information Meeting, documentation and resources, participation in general, as well as the technical guidelines for stakeholders submissions can be found in the Practical Guide for Civil Society [Download: العربية | English | Français | русский | Español] (PDF).