SECTION ACTION:
Get involved with the Universal Periodic Review!

What is the UPR? | What can a WILPF section do? | What did WILPF Sweden do?

What is the UPR?

The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a human rights monitoring mechanism of the Human Rights Council (HRC). All States are reviewed every four years in order to examine their human rights achievements and shortfalls. Most HRC Member and Observer States participate during the three-hour review and ask questions and make recommendations on the basis of the state report, the OHCHR report (Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights) and a 10-page report of stakeholder input.

The state report should be prepared in broad consultation with all relevant stakeholders.  The second document is prepared by the OHCHR and comprises treaty body (for example, CEDAW), special procedures (such as the special rapporteur on violence against women) and other relevant official UN information. The third document is compiled by the OHCHR with information from NGOs (e.g. your section input), National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs), human rights defenders and academia.

States may submit written questions to the State under Review (SuR) in advance of their UPR.  The 3-hour Sessionbegins with a presentation by the SuR and is followed by an interactive dialogue during which States ask questions and/or make recommendations to which the SuR responds. The outcome is presented in a report that summarises the proceedings, including most importantly a list of commitments that the SuR pledges to undertake. 

What can a WILPF section do?

1. Inform your section of the dates and deadlines of the upcoming Universal Periodic Review of your country (check the UPR calendar)..
2. Prepare a document to include national WILPF issues in the OHCHR stakeholder summary. This can be either as a maximum 5-page WILPF or maximum 10-page joint NGO submission. Ensure that your points will be picked up by providing information directly linked to the UPR review and national human rights developments (check what WILPF Sweden did).
3. Get information on the national governmental consultations and get actively involved with it.
4. Check the State, OHCHR and Stakeholder report when they are online to see whether WILPF’s points have been taken up (there can be found here).
5. Summarize the WILPF points which were included in the official reports in a fax. Add clear arguments and other pressing matters. Request the International Secretariat to fax it to the missions of HRC Member and Observer States to request them to include these points in their oral interventions.
6. Stay in contact with the WILPF International Secretariat to ensure that the UPR meeting of your country is reported on in a focused manner.
7. Read the WILPF report and make sure to thank those missions that raised WILPF issues during the UPR review and build on the relationship between these missions and WILPF.
8. Utilize the official UN outcome document adopted during the regular HRC session to hold your national government accountable and to raise awareness.

What did WILPF Sweden do?

Sweden will be reviewed during the 8th UPR session in May 2010. IKFF prepared a 5-page document for the stakeholder report. They recalled treaty body recommendations which link in with the IKFF agenda and included developments in disarmament, military expenditure and women, peace and security. IKFF summarized this information in comprehensive boxes of ‘proposed text’ to increase the possibility that IKFF’s points are taken up in the official reports. IKFF and WILPF’s International Secretariat collaborated closely in writing the text and will continue this collaboration to ensure effective follow-up.