United Nations Human Rights Council: 28th Session

Oral statement Item 6 – General Debate

20 March 2015

Thank you. This statement is made on behalf of 47 NGOs.

Mr President,

By the end of the second cycle, over 50'000 recommendations will have been made at the UPR. This figure is impressive. However, according to some actors, this figure is too high: since the beginning of the second cycle, we have heard repeated calls to decrease the number of recommendations made by each Recommending State.

As discussions are emerging on what the third cycle of the UPR should look like, we believe it is misguided to focus on the quantity of recommendations. Indeed, limiting the number of recommendations could be detrimental to the UPR process for mainly two reasons:

- Firstly, if fewer recommendations were made, important issues would be left aside. Only mainstream issues would be raised at the UPR, thus narrowing the scope of the review on a given country;

- Secondly, having many similar or identical recommendations on a given issue demonstrates how important that issue is. Repetition does not overload the State under Review as it calls for similar action but, rather, it shows the concerns of the international community on a specific issue.

Mr. President,

UPR recommendations are the main added value and outcome of the review. Reducing their number voluntarily could, in fact, weaken the whole mechanism. While the number of recommendations has increased, unfortunately, the number of quality recommendations has decreased. The proportion of weak, unspecific recommendations is the main problem we see in the UPR -- not the overall number itself. States should make an effort to improve the quality, measurability, and specificity of recommendations, which would better guide implementation.

Thank you.

List of co-signatories:
1. AFD international
2. Alkarama
3. Article 19
4. Association pour l'Intégration et le Développement Durable au Burundi-AIDB
5. Associazione Comunità Papa Giovanni XXIII
6. Cairo Institue for Human Rights Studies
7. Canada for Population and Development
8. Casa Alianza Switzerland
9. Center for the Development of Democracy and Human Rights
10. Centro de Estudios Legales y Sociales
11. CIVICUS
12. Civilis Human Rights and Acción Solidaria on HIV/Aids
13. CODAP
14. Colombian Commission of Jurists
15. Congregation Of Our Lady of Charity Of The Good Shepherd
16. CREA
17. Defence for Children International (DCI)
18. Dominicans for Justice and Peace
19. East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project
20. Edmund Rice International
21. FIACAT
22. Franciscans International
23. Freedom House
24. Geneva Institute for Human Rights (GIHR)
25. Human Rights Watch
26. IIMA - Istituto Internazionale Maria Ausiliatrice
27. International Disability Alliance
28. International Lesbian and Gay Association
29. International Partnership for Human Rights
30. International Platform against Impunity
31. International Service for Human Rights
32. Irish Council for Civil Liberties
33. London Legal Group
34. Marist International Solidarity Foundation – FMSI
35. Minority Rights Group International (MRG)
36. Norwegian Helsinki Committee
37. Pax Romana
38. Plan International
39. Save the Children
40. Sinergia, Venezuelan Association of Civil Society Organizations
41. Stefanus Alliance International
42. The Bahá'í International Community
43. Together - Scottish Alliance for Children's Rights
44. UPR Info
45. VIDES International - International Volunteerism Organization for Women, Education, Development
46. Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
47. World Vision International

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