Do more with what we have: A call to action by Gianni Magazzeni
At a time when the multilateral system — including the Human Rights Council — faces increasing constraints and complexity, Gianni Magazzeni, President of UPR Info's Board, offers a set of forward-looking considerations for 2026, addressed primarily to States.
At its core, the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is not only a mechanism for promoting human rights, but also a platform for cooperation, dialogue, and shared responsibility among States. The mechanism continues to enjoy broad political support; however, the main challenge remains ensuring that human rights commitments translate into concrete results on the ground.
Rather than calling for changes to the UPR's modalities, this reflection argues for making better and more strategic use of existing tools, with a particular focus on the underutilized potential of Human Rights Council Item 6 Adoptions. Taking place a few months after the review, UPR Adoptions offer a unique opportunity to move beyond formal positions on recommendations and to articulate concrete implementation priorities, linking human rights commitments with implementation planning, development cooperation, and targeted support. Used more effectively, Item 6 could help reinforce the UPR’s effectiveness and credibility at a critical moment for multilateralism.
During Item 6, the plenary session of the Human Rights Council, the outcome report of the States under review at the previous UPR Working Group session is formally adopted.
In this one-hour session, the State under review (SuR) has 20 minutes to respond to questions and clarify its position, Other UN Member States have 20 minutes to make statements to the SuR, and civil society actors, including NHRIs and NGOs, also have 20 minutes for oral interventions.
In practice, Item 6 could be used to:
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provide an opportunity for States to present clear implementation priorities, including indicative timelines, responsible institutions, and links to national development strategies;
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facilitate better coordination among States and UN entities, particularly with regard to technical assistance and development cooperation; and
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create a space for meaningful exchange of good practices that States have put in place to uphold their human rights commitments.