The Universal Periodic Review (UPR)


The Human Rights Council,

Bearing in mind General Assembly Resolution 60/251 “Human Rights Council” and in particular its decision that the Human Rights Council shall undertake a universal periodic review based on objective and reliable information, of the fulfilment by each State of its human right obligations and commitments in a manner which ensures universality of coverage and equal treatment with respect to all States; 

Taking into consideration that the review shall be a cooperative mechanism, based on an interactive dialogue, with the full involvement of the country concerned and with consideration given to its capacity-building needs and that such a mechanism shall complement and not duplicate the work of treaty bodies; 

Bearing in mind that Members of the Council shall be reviewed under the universal periodic review mechanism during their term of membership;

Bearing in mind further that the General Assembly decided  that the Council shall  develop the modalities and necessary time allocation for the universal periodic review mechanism within one year after the holding of its first session, as called for in resolution 60/251.

1.- Decides to establish an inter-sessional open-ended consultative process / working group to develop the modalities of the universal periodic review mechanism.

2.- Requests the President of the Council to appoint a facilitator to undertake this open-ended consultative process of well scheduled, transparent, informal and formal consultations with all stakeholders.  

3. Decides that the consultative process shall have at its disposal ten days (or twenty 3-hour meetings) of fully serviced meetings and that it shall allow sufficient time and flexibility for the development and consideration of universal periodic review mechanism. 

4. Decides that preliminary consultations by the facilitator could begin immediately in order to compile proposals and relevant information and experiences, to be followed without delay by open-ended discussions appropriately scheduled by the facilitator in consultation with all stakeholders.  

5. Requests the facilitator to update the Council regularly on progress made, starting in September 2006. 

6. Requests the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to present a background document providing information on existing mechanisms for periodic review (i.e. ILO, WTO, IMF, IAEA, NEPAD, OCDE and OAS).

7. Requests the submission of a report setting out the agreed modalities and time allocation by December 2006, so as to take decisions on the modalities of the universal periodic review mechanism to allow for the first review to be completed as mandated in General Assembly resolution 60/251 (op5e and op9). 








22/06/2006