52nd UPR Working Group: Key highlights

Recommendations to Namibia addressed the ratification of outstanding international instruments, including the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture, the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, and the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons. States also recommended Namibia to establish a national preventive mechanism and to continue efforts to improve detention conditions. Other recommendations concerned the rights of Indigenous Peoples, gender equality, violence against women and girls, children’s rights, access to education and health, the rights of persons with disabilities, and protection for persons in vulnerable situations.

The national delegation made reference to measures including a strategy on gender-based violence, a national plan to end child marriage, awareness-raising on female genital mutilation, reforms related to health and education, and the creation of an Observatoire National des Droits de l’Homme et des Libertés Fondamentales following the dissolution of the former National Human Rights Commission. Recommendations to Niger addressed the abolition of the death penalty, the ratification of pending international instruments, cooperation with human rights mechanisms, civic space, the protection of human rights defenders, national human rights institutions, counter-terrorism and human rights, gender-based violence, child marriage, education, health, and the rights of women and children.

Recommendations to Mozambique addressed ratification of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, and relevant ILO instruments. Other recommendations concerned child protection in armed conflict, civic space, access to justice, internally displaced persons, trafficking in persons, gender-based violence, persons with disabilities, and climate action. According to the national report, Mozambique established the Interministerial Commission for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law in 2022, adopted policies on internally displaced persons, trafficking in persons, children, education, health financing and climate finance, and prepared a National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights for 2025–2029.

Recommendations to Estonia addressed ratification of outstanding instruments, including the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, ILO conventions and the Statelessness Conventions. Other recommendations addressed equality and non-discrimination, the rights of stateless persons and persons with undetermined citizenship, hate speech and hate crimes, women’s rights, gender-based violence, trafficking in persons, the rights of persons with disabilities, and access to education, including issues related to language policy.

Recommendations to Belgium addressed the ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and the strengthening of the national preventive mechanism. Other recommendations concerned the Federal Institute for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights, anti-racism and discrimination, gender-based violence, children’s rights, the rights of persons with disabilities, and the rights of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers. Several recommendations addressed asylum and reception conditions, including access to procedures, accommodation, care, non-refoulement, and protection of children and families in migration contexts.

In its opening statement, Paraguay stated that its national report was prepared with the participation of 66 State institutions through SIMORE Plus, a tool used to follow up on recommendations and integrate a human rights approach into public policy. Recommendations to Paraguay addressed the ratification of instruments, the independence and financial autonomy of the Ombudsman’s Office, the continued strengthening of SIMORE Plus, poverty reduction, a comprehensive anti-discrimination law, Indigenous Peoples, women’s rights, children’s rights, access to justice, and economic, social and cultural rights.

Recommendations to Denmark addressed the ratification of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Other recommendations concerned racism and discrimination, the rights of migrants and minorities, artificial intelligence and non-discrimination in welfare services, hate crimes, gender equality, domestic violence, asylum and immigration, detention, mental health, children’s rights, social housing and climate action.

Recommendations to Palau addressed the ratification of outstanding instruments, including the Convention against Torture, national human rights mechanisms, human rights education, climate change and disaster resilience, trafficking in persons, social protection, health, education, violence against women, persons with disabilities, children and migrants.

Recommendations to Somalia addressed ratification of human rights treaties, including CEDAW, the Maputo Protocol, the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Recommendations also addressed constitutional and legislative reform, counter-terrorism and human rights safeguards, conditions of detention, freedom of expression and the protection of journalists, transitional justice, access to justice, the death penalty, trafficking in persons, social protection, health, education, food security, internally displaced persons, women’s rights, children affected by armed conflict and climate resilience.

Recommendations to Seychelles addressed the ratification of outstanding instruments, the independence and capacity of national institutions, the administration of justice, children’s rights, women’s rights, trafficking in persons, the rights of persons with disabilities, non-discrimination, media freedom, prison reform, employment, education and climate-related issues.

Recommendations to Solomon Islands addressed the ratification of core international human rights instruments, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and its Optional Protocols. Other recommendations concerned gender equality, violence against women and girls, children’s rights, trafficking in persons, climate change and disaster risk reduction, health, education, the rights of persons with disabilities, access to justice and national human rights mechanisms.

Recommendations to Latvia addressed the ratification of outstanding treaties, including the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, the Optional Protocol to CEDAW and the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Several recommendations concerned the Istanbul Convention, including recommendations to remain a party to the Convention, ensure its full implementation, and strengthen measures to prevent and combat violence against women and domestic violence. Other recommendations addressed the Ombudsman’s Office, hate speech and hate crimes, anti-discrimination legislation, gender equality, same-sex partnerships, torture and detention conditions, trafficking in persons, access to health, inclusive education, minority-language education, climate action, business and human rights, children’s rights and persons with disabilities.

Recommendations to Sierra Leone addressed the ratification of outstanding instruments, the abolition of the death penalty, constitutional reform, justice sector reform, detention conditions, anti-corruption, freedom of expression, women’s participation, gender equality, child marriage, health, education, social protection and children’s rights.

Singapore received statements from 142 delegations. Recommendations addressed the ratification of core human rights treaties, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and the Convention against Torture. Other recommendations concerned the death penalty and corporal punishment, freedom of expression and assembly, civic space, migrant workers, trafficking in persons, women’s rights, children’s rights, persons with disabilities, older persons, social protection, workplace discrimination, equality and non-discrimination, climate change and digital safety.