14/05/2020

UPR Info’s New Database is Online!

UPR Info is very proud to launch its new Database of UPR recommendations and voluntary pledges.

UPR recommendations and States’ voluntary pledges can be powerful tools not only for those in civil society who seek to hold their government accountable, but also for everyone who works to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms. The fully searchable online database currently includes more than 79,000 UPR recommendations and 1,500 voluntary pledges that States have made throughout all 3 cycles of the Universal Periodic Review.

The new database is the result of a fruitful partnership between UPR Info and HURIDOCS that leveraged the power of machine learning to make it easier to curate and maintain the database. As a result, users get faster, more reliable and complete access to UPR recommendations. This, alongside UPR Info’s analytical features, means human rights defenders and members of civil society will have the advantage of being better able to quickly capitalizing on opportunities. “The new database is a critical tool providing to UPR Stakeholders human rights information to support the advocacy, monitoring and implementation work on UPR recommendations. It also fosters a culture of transparency and accountability by facilitating access to information”, said Mona M’Bikay, UPR Info’s Executive Director.

The new database uses a web-based platform designed by HURIDOCS with the specific scope of making human rights information more open and accessible to those who need it. It includes a more robust set of filters, which allows UPR stakeholders to find what they are searching for with increased ease. In the upcoming weeks, we will be publishing detailed guidance for users on how to use the database to conduct research on recommendations and voluntary pledges. All of UPR Info’s analytical categories—Regional Group, International Organization, Response to Recommendations, Thematic Issues, and Type of Action—will still be available.

Additional features in the new platform:

  • User-friendly platform for all types of research on the UPR recommendations
  • Simultaneous access to recommendations and statistics;
  • All information will be also available in French (starting from session 29th). If the recommendations are not available in French, the English version will be available.
  • More timely updates of the recommendations and voluntary pledges. Thanks to the automatic import of the documents from OHCHR’s website, UPR Info’s database will be regularly updated with the text of the recommendations;
  • More timely updates of the analytical tools of the issue and action category classification;
  • New Thematic Issues included to facilitate research (e.g. SDGs, Gender-Based Violence, Youth Rights, Rights for Older People, Access to Justice, Discrimination, Transitional Justice, Violent Extremism, and Human Rights);

For more information and queries about the new database, please contact us at: info@upr-info.org