Preparation and report drafting for Nepal’s 4th UPR
With Nepal’s 4th Universal Periodic Review (UPR) just around the corner in January 2026, national stakeholders are currently engaged in the critical phase of preparing reports that will form the foundation of the upcoming review.
In this context, UPR Info is committed to supporting national actors by providing technical guidance, practical tools and good practices for drafting UPR submissions, with the aim of making this preparatory stage a first step toward sustained and meaningful engagement in the UPR cycle.
To this end, and in partnership with the Informal Sector Service Centre (INSEC), the secretariat of the NGO coalition for UPR-Nepal, UPR Info organised a series of capacity-building activities in May 2025 aimed at equipping stakeholders with the knowledge and resources needed to actively contribute to this drafting process.
From 21 to 22 May 2025, a two-day workshop in Dhulikhel brought together 52 representatives from CSOs across the country, working on a wide range of human rights issues. Participants received technical guidance on how to draft stakeholder submissions, and on how to formulate SMART recommendations with a third presentation on advocacy efforts at the national and international levels. At the end of the workshop, participants, working in thematic groups, began outlining their submissions by determining the structure, type (joint or individual), and key content areas, while also drafting relevant recommendations. Each group prepared a roadmap to finalize their report by the 17 July 2025 submission deadline. Following the discussions, the participating CSOs agreed to plan the submission of four individual reports and two joint reports.
On 23 May 2025, a briefing session was held in Kathmandu for government representatives and parliamentarians, aimed at enhancing their understanding of the UPR process and their role in this mechanism. The session gathered 56 participants, including representatives from the National Human Rights Commission, the Parliament, government and civil society. UPR Info delivered a presentation on the guidelines and modalities for drafting Nepal’s national report, with a focus on its content, structure and format. Good practices were also shared to promote effective collaboration among stakeholders during the drafting phase and throughout the UPR cycle. At the end, the discussion among participants highlighted the need to address existing gaps in awareness of previous recommendations and to improve follow-up and accountability to ensure that UPR recommendations are translated into concrete measures to guarantee effective implementation. Participants also emphasized the importance of inclusive consultations at all levels, including with local and provincial governments.
