Almost 3,000 recommendations made to the States of Session 28
UPR Info closely followed the 28th Session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group, which took place on 6-17 November 2017 at the Palais des Nations, in Geneva. The Session saw the following States undergo their third cycle UPR: Argentina; Benin; Gabon; Ghana; Guatemala; Japan; Republic of Korea; Switzerland; Ukraine; and Zambia.
The UPR is a human rights mechanism which put all UN Member States on an equal footing to combating human rights violations and to promoting protection and respect of human rights worldwide. Therefore, Permanent Missions provided each State under Review (SuR) with recommendations on how best to improve human rights in their respective States during the Interactive Dialogue.
Facts and Statistics:
In total, 2,980 recommendations were made and an average of 86 delegations took the floor per Review. Overall, as compared to the first round of the second cycle (May 2012), Member States were more likely to make recommendations during this round of the third cycle (2,128 in May 2012).
Amongst many others, the following issues were high on the agenda: ratification of international instruments; women’s rights; children’s rights; freedom of expression, opinion, peaceful assembly, and religion; abolition of torture; and the death penalty. More than 1,200 statements were delivered, and an average of 213 recommendations were made per Review. According to the Human Rights Council President, on average there were 21 people per delegation, six of whom were led by a Deputy Minister or Secretary, six others of whom by a Minister, and two of whom by high-level officials.
State snapshots:
Argentina: received 188 recommendations and will provide an answer no later than the 37th HRC.
Benin: most of recommendations were on the protection of the rights of the child.
Czechia: committed to submit a mid-term report on the implementation of the UPR recommendations.
Gabon: during the adoption of its report, Gabon supported 129 recommendations out of the 166 received.
Ghana: 98 delegations took the floor during the review and made 241 recommendations.
Guatemala: received a high number of recommendations on women’s rights.
Japan: received 218 recommendations from 106 delegations.
Pakistan: Troika was made up of the delegation of Egypt, Latvia and Iraq.
Peru: received a high number of recommendations on the rights of indigenous people.
Republic of Korea: already supported 85 recommendations out of the 218 received.
Sri Lanka: has made 12 voluntary pledges and supported 177 recommendations received.
Switzerland: 198 delegations took the floor during the review and made 251 recommendations.
Ukraine: one of the most popular recommendations made was to combat corruption.
Zambia: Troika was made up of the delegation of Switzerland, China and Kenya.
Further, Czechia and Sri Lanka mentioned the importance of working and cooperating with UPR Info in preparation for their review, and in follow-up. To conclude, issues raised by civil society organisations (CSOs) and national human rights institutions (NHRIs) at the Pre-sessions, organised early October, were addressed during the reviews, highlighting one of the main objectives of the Pre-sessions, that is: to shape the recommendations that States will make at the UPR.