Universal Periodic Review: How to Implement Human Rights

The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a unique mechanism of the Human Rights Council in which all UN Member States undergo a review of the human rights situation in their countries. While it is a state-led process, the UPR provides a significant opportunity to civil society to exercise social control, ensuring the implementation of human rights policies, and ultimately enhancing the quality of life for all.

Cooperation among civil society organisations, working collaboratively in networks and coalitions, emerges as one of the most powerful and effective strategies for improving the human rights situation in a country. The publication UPR: A Practical Guide for Civil Society Coalitions to Engage in Implementation Mechanisms aims to provide practical tools for national coalitions working within the UPR mechanism so that, collectively, they can act with greater legitimacy and representativeness in their advocacy. 

The guide was produced by the Brazilian Institute for Development and Human Rights (IDDH) with the support of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung and was launched during a virtual event on 21 May. The event featured speakers who shared good practices of UPR national coalitions from Latin America, Asia and Africa and jointly reflected about the impacts and the relevance of the UPR mechanism in the context of the 20th anniversary of the UN Human Rights Council.

Program & Speakers:

• Welcome Remarks: Ira Gibson, Program Officer, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Geneva Office 
• Presentation of the Publication: Fernanda Lapa, Executive Director, Institute for Development and Human Rights
• Presentations by
• Sonia Acabal, Protection Officer of the Mesoamerica International Protection, Member of the UPR Guatemala Coalition
• Jerald Joseph, Member of the UPR Malaysia Coalition
• Kuda Murisa, Director of the Intersex Community of Zimbabwe (ICoZ)
• Remarks on the role and evolution of the UPR at the Human Rights Council's 20th anniversary: Gianni Magazzeni, Executive Board President, UPR Info
• Q&A and Closing

The event was conducted in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.