How francophone NHRIs are making the UPR count
The Association francophone des Commissions nationales des droits de l'Homme (AFCNDH) has released a new practical guide, Examen périodique universel : Les bonnes pratiques des institutions nationales des droits de l'Homme francophones, highlighting the key role that French-speaking National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) play throughout the Universal Periodic Review (UPR).
Drawing on years of experience, the publication shares concrete, replicable practices that strengthen NHRI engagement before, during and after the review. At its core, the guide reframes participation in the UPR not as a procedural requirement, but as a strategic institutional exercise.
It shows how NHRIs can facilitate inclusive national consultations, raise awareness of human rights commitments at home and abroad, and contribute directly to the implementation and monitoring of recommendations.
In August 2025, for example, the Commission nationale des droits de l'Homme et des libertés de l'Union des Comores successfully engaged mayors and cadis (Muslim magistrates exercising civil, judicial and religious functions) in the UPR process, encouraging them to relay accepted recommendations within local communities. This initiative illustrates how awareness-raising can translate international commitments into local ownership.
Across recent cycles, several francophone NHRIs have also helped establish or strengthen national UPR networks with civil society, including the Commission béninoise des droits de l'Homme, the Commission nationale des droits de l'Homme de Maurice and the Commission consultative des droits de l'Homme du grand-duché de Luxembourg. These networks enhance coordination, amplify civil society voices and create structured spaces for dialogue around reporting and follow-up.
As highlighted in the report, NHRI engagement does not end with the adoption of recommendations. Dissemination, accountability and implementation are decisive. The Comissão Nacional dos Direitos Humanos e Cidadania de Cabo Verde, for instance, translates recommendations into Portuguese, publishes them in brochure format and disseminates them through radio and television, ensuring that UPR outcomes reach the wider public.
How does UPR Info support this work in practice?
Several of the good practices featured in the report have been accompanied — and in some cases partly supported — by UPR Info through long-term technical cooperation.
Since 2017, UPR Info has provided sustained assistance to NHRIs, including many francophone institutions, through in-country capacity-building activities and tailored guidance. In Côte d'Ivoire, Benin and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, this cooperation has contributed to stronger parliamentary engagement, improved coordination with civil society and more structured follow-up mechanisms.
UPR Info's Pre-sessions have also become a key advocacy platform. They enable NHRIs and civil society organizations to brief UN Member States ahead of the review and highlight priority human rights concerns. Institutions from Côte d'Ivoire, France, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Comoros and Benin regularly use this space to conduct targeted advocacy and help ensure that their priorities are reflected in recommendations.
Through its e-hub, peer-exchange opportunities and advisory support, UPR Info further assists NHRIs in strategizing their engagement during the crucial implementation phase, including in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cabo Verde and Côte d'Ivoire — helping transform recommendations into concrete national action.
To access the full report, consult the publication here (only available in French).