People behind the UPR
The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is often considered by the public and civil society as a Geneva based mechanism, remote from human rights concerns of people and taking place only at an international level. However, UPR recommendations have been contributing to the advancement of human rights in many different countries. In this video series we hear first hand what it takes to monitor human rights and the approaches to use the UPR as an effective tool to promote and protect human rights.
What is the UPR?
"The UPR is the best problem solving tool and the more States, the UN system, and other stakeholders engage, the more we meet the technical cooperation gap, the more we give a chance to prevention to succeed, the more we reduce the human suffering and the cost of failure of prevention. "
Gianni Magazzeni: Chief of the UPR Branch (until end of April 2023), United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Geneva
UPR Info interviewed human rights defenders, international experts and state representatives that shared their experiences, looking specifically at how the UPR had an impact on issues in relation to women’s and children’s rights, economic rights and climate change, to name a few.
The interviews also aimed at seeking good practices and suggestions on how to improve the process and the stakeholders’ engagement.
What impact does the UPR have?
"Apprenti d'Auteuil is working on children’s rights. In previous reviews, there were recommendations on children’s rights including child abuse like, for example, spanking. Since then, France has banned ordinary educational violence. So I think that the presence of international recommendations has an influence at a national level."
Virginie Hoarau: Advocacy Officer, Fondation d’Auteuil, France
A special feature in the series is dedicated to showcase how UPR Info’s work supports the engagement of different stakeholders in the UPR process by sharing skills and good practices and by providing a space to conduct international advocacy work, in the framework of the Pre-sessions.
Involvement with the UPR and how to improve the mechanism
"More space for discussion about how to improve recommendations on economic and social rights and how to follow up on these recommendations."
Danilo Ćurčić: Programme Coordinator, A 11 – Initiative for Economic and Social Rights, Serbia
Where to find it?
On our website, the section of Resources- Video Library. The video is published with English, French and Spanish subtitles.
Our Videolibrary has a collection of the videos published by UPR Info aiming to offer accessible and complementary tools for all the stakeholders.
You can also subscribe and explore our YouTube channel, where you will find video content of the different activities of UPR Info.
Participating in UPR Info’s Pre-sessions
"Allows us to have direct contact with the civil society organisations that do not participate directly during the UPR process, the pre-sessions have become an integral part of our participation as a state."
Marília Angélica Dos Santos Manuel, Counsellor (Human Rights/UNHCR/IOM) Permanent Mission of the Republic of Angola to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva, Geneva