Post-UPR meetings: a look at Uzbekistan's experience
This article is an op-ed from Gianni Magazzeni, board member of UPR Info and former Chief of the UPR branch at United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, emphasizing the critical role of post-UPR adoption meetings in enhancing the implementation of human rights recommendations, with a focus on Uzbekistan's experience.
In line with its new Strategic Plan 2022-2027, UPR Info has started post outcome adoption meetings, at the request of States, to facilitate focused conversations between National Mechanisms for Implementation, Reporting and Follow up, UN Member States, human rights / development actors / the UN System and CSOs to ensure greater implementation of accepted recommendations.
The example of Uzbekistan is the first of a series of such post UPR adoption meetings engaging constructively human rights and development actors in support of implementation thus making the UPR mechanism fulfil the expectations and vision of the founding fathers of the Human Rights Council (HRC) to improve human rights on the ground.
National implementation of recommendations from human rights mechanisms is indeed crucial for the integrity and effectiveness of the human rights system, more than 75 years after the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and well into the 4th cycle of the UPR. Days after the adoption of its 4th cycle UPR outcome in the HRC, Uzbekistan outlined to the international community and the UN System at large programs and activities planned over the next 4-5 years to implement accepted UPR recommendations. It is hoped that more States will follow this model of implementation and that such meetings will facilitate national implementation plans as well as the provision of the necessary financial or technical support from recommending States and the entire UN System - under the leadership of the Resident Coordinator.

The UPR is clearly the best tool to domesticate human rights norms. Indeed, the mechanism refers to concluding observations of human rights treaty bodies, or to the advice of special procedures mandate holders, inputs from the UN System, OHCHR field presences, Regional human rights mechanisms, NHRIs, and NGOs. Thus, UPR recommendations provide a detailed road map of what the State under review needs to do to improve its national human rights protection system.
At variance with other human rights mechanisms, at experts’ level, the UPR provides an opportunity for States, to consider each recommendation received – to engage in broad consultations with Parliament, the Judiciary, Local and Regional Governments (LRGs), and national stakeholders. This is done often within NMIRFs, led by a Minister, resulting in sovereign decisions on recommendations States accept in the HRC UPR adoptions, 3-4 months after each review.
UPR accepted recommendations create entry points for action to increase compliance with international human rights obligations, to improve the rule of law, to make progress on equality and non-discrimination and on all economic, social, and cultural rights – leading to greater protection of all human rights – including IHL in countries in conflict or in post-conflict situations.
The UPR is also the best tool to advance human rights as part of development. In its opening remarks at the HRC 55 side event focused on Uzbekistan, the HRC President, Ambassador Omar Zniber, recalled, among other things, that Ms. Amina Mohammed, UN Deputy Secretary-General, at HRC 52, last year, stressed that the UPR was one of the Organization most impactful instruments to promote human rights as part of development – pointing out also the readiness of the UN development system to support implementation of UPR recommendations.
Clearly, there is a need to facilitate the constructive dialogue between NMIRFs, recommending States and development actors to identify expertise or funds that may be made available to countries, at their request and with their consent, to ensure progress towards core accepted UPR recommendations. Supporting implementation of these recommendations would greatly advance human rights, create more resilient societies, and ensure the success and sustainability of the SDGs.
Working all together to implement UPR recommendations, fostering collaboration among States, LRGs, NHRIs, civil society, academia, regional organizations, taking fully into account the UPR Practical Guidance for Heads of UN Offices and the UNDP/OHCHR/DCO Repository of UPR Good Practices align with the objectives contained in the Secretary-General's Call to Action for Human Rights and Our Common Agenda.