Andrzej Owca and Paul Rahmat participated in the 37th Session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.
The statement is related to the UPR recommendations. The UPR NGO coalition recommends the establishment in every country National Mechanisms for Reporting and Follow-up (NMRFs).
Joint Oral Statement at the 37th Session of the Human Rights Council
Annual high-level panel discussion on human rights mainstreaming
Theme: The promotion and protection of human rights in the light of
the universal periodic review mechanism: challenges and opportunities
26 February, 2018
Thank you, Mister President.
CCIG, on behalf of a coalition of 17 NGOs, welcomes the annual high-level panel discussion on human rights mainstreaming aiming to support the implementation of UPR recommendations. [1]
While we recognize the progress States have made to ensure the effective functioning of the UPR, we stress the need for a more systematic evaluation of the implementation status of recommendations.
Accordingly, we welcome the recent initiative of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to address letters to each Member State reviewed during the 27th UPR Session, calling on the State under Review to “develop a national human rights action plan in order to achieve concrete results” regarding UPR recommendations and to strengthen “the national mechanism for comprehensive follow up”.
Based on its direct experience working with local human rights defenders in over one hundred countries, this NGO coalition is convinced that the establishment of National Mechanisms for Reporting and Follow Up (NMRFs) would greatly advance not only the implementation of UPR recommendations, but also the work of other human rights bodies, such as the Special Procedures and Treaty bodies.
Therefore, we welcome the valuable contributions and inputs provided in the current panel discussion and we call upon all Member States to set up or strengthen national mechanisms for reporting and follow-up in order to enhance efforts of relevant ministries and consultation with Civil Society, leading to a more effective implementation of UPR recommendations and, ultimately, to better human rights protection worldwide.
Thank you, Mister President.
[1] Concept note, Annual high-level panel discussion on human rights mainstreaming “The promotion and protection of human rights in the light of the universal periodic review mechanism: challenges and opportunities”.