The Role of Parliamentarians in achieving UPR recommendations and SDGs

UPR Info will hold the side event “The Role of Parliamentarians in achieving UPR recommendations and SDGs” on Thursday 19th September 2019 from 14:00 – 15:00 in Room IV of the Palais des Nations.

As a result of its participatory nature, the UPR is the only international human rights mechanism that encourages and facilitates public debate on human rights within, as well as among States. When we consider which human rights actors at the national level can be involved in this debate, we might immediately think of the executive power or civil society. Among the plethora of stakeholders that engage in the promotion and advancement of human rights, parliaments can also play a vital role.

Parliaments can oversee the actions of the executive by ensuring that laws, policy and practice are in compliance with international human rights commitments. Yet, many parliaments do not fulfil this role.

The potential for a parliamentary contribution to human rights protection can have a wide impact. More than 50 per cent of Universal Periodic Review (UPR) recommendations require or involve parliamentary action. Through the development of a legal framework for human rights, the setting of adequate budgeting and national policy priorities, the oversight of government activity, the promotion of ratification of international human rights treaties and the creation of an enabling space other national actors, including NHRIs and CSOs, to hold the executive into account against States’ international obligations.
The aim of the event will be to define opportunities available to, and challenges facing, parliaments in implementation UPR recommendations in line with 2030 Agenda.

Panellists:
• Jean Baptiste Ingoli, Permanent Secretary, Inter- Ministerial Commission of DRC
• Monica Ferro, Director of the Geneva Office of the United Nation's Population Fund
• Nadia El Yousfi, Member and Rapporteur of the Committee on Parliamentary Affairs of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF)
• Mona M’Bikay, Executive Director of UPR Info (Moderator of the event)

For additional information: stakeholders@upr-info.org

Please note that only holders of UN Badges can attend.