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THE FIRST CYCLE OF THE UNIVERSAL PERIODIC REVIEW MECHANISM OF THE UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS
COUNCIL: A WORK IN PROGRESS
Report Prepared by: Edward R. McMahon, Ed.D. The University of Vermont, USA
For: The Friedrich Ebert Stiftung
Geneva, Switzerland
July 2012
2
OverviewDesigned to Learn about How UPR is being
UsedBasic Data from the First Cycle (e.g. number
of recommendations, acceptance levels, regional distribution)
Action categories/analysisIssuesAnalysis by Regime TypeConclusions/Recommendations
3
Number of Recommendations
1 - 4 5 - 8 9 - 120
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
8000
9000
10000
Session Numbers
Num
ber o
f rec
omm
enda
tions
4
Responses to Recommendations
Accepted, 15,615 - 73%
General Response, 1,384 - 6%
No Response, 1,177 - 6%
Rejected, 3,182 - 15%
5
Accepted vs. Other Responses for All Sessions
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 120
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
2000
Accepted Other Respnses
Session Number
Num
ber o
f Res
pons
es
6
REGIONAL DISTRIBUTION OF RECOMMENDATIONS (By State under Review)
Africa Asia EEG GRULAC WEOG0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
25.0%
30.0%
35.0%
40.0%
45.0%
50.0%
Africa
Asia
EEG
GRULAC
WEOG
Region under Review
Perc
enta
ge o
f Rec
omm
enda
tions
Recommending Re-gion
7
Overall Distribution of Recommendations by Recommending Region and Region of State Under Review
Africa Asia EEG GRULAC WEOG0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
25.0%
30.0%
35.0%
40.0%
45.0%
Percentage of Recommendations ReceivedPercentage of Recommendations MadePercentage of UN Member States in Region
State Under Review/Recommending Region
Perc
enta
ge o
f Rec
omm
enda
tions
8
Regional Distribution of Recommendations by Recommending State Region
Africa Asia EEG GRULAC WEOG0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
25.0%
30.0%
35.0%
40.0%
45.0%
50.0%
AfricaAsiaEEGGRULAC WEOG
Recommending State Region
Perc
enta
ge o
f Rec
omm
enda
tions
SuR Region
9
Percentages of Acceptance Rates for Selected Region Pairs (bold fewer than 80%)Region Overall accepted (%)Africa-Africa 90Africa-Asia 88Africa-EEG 85Africa-GRULAC 88Africa-WEOG 58
Region Asia-Africa 94Asia-Asia 92Asia-EEG 92Asia-GRULAC 94Asia-WEOG 62
10
Percentages of Acceptance Rates for Selected Region Pairs (bold fewer than 80%)Region Overall accepted
(%)WEOG-Africa 63WEOG-Asia 55WEOG-EEG 79WEOG-GRULAC 75WEOG-WEOG 62
11
Action Categories Category 1 – Recommendations directed at non-SuR states, or calling upon the SuR
to request financial or other assistance from, or share information with, non-SuR states (verbs in this category may include share, seek, request)
Examples: - Seek contributions from the international community in the Government’s efforts to
promote rights (Ghana to Botswana, Session 3). - Share its experiences and best practices with other countries in establishing
national legislation and mechanisms and pursuing international cooperation to curb human trafficking (Philippines to United Arab Emirates, Session 3).
Category 2 – Recommendations emphasizing continuity in actions and/or policies (key action verbs: continue, persevere, maintain)
Examples: - Continue its efforts to develop the work of its national institution for human rights,
as an effective human rights watchdog (Egypt to Bangladesh, Session 4). - Continue the efforts to combat trafficking in persons with a special emphasis on
women and children (Canada to Japan, Session 2). Category 3 – Recommendations to consider change (key action verbs: consider,
reflect upon, review, envision) Examples: - Consider subsequent measures towards the complete abolition of the death penalty
(Switzerland to Cuba, Session 1). - Consider becoming party to the International Convention on the Protection of the
Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (Azerbaijan to Mauritius, Session 4).
12
Action Categories (con’t) Category 4 – Recommendations of action that contain a general element
(key action verbs: take measures or steps towards, encourage, promote, intensify, accelerate, engage with, respect, enhance)
Examples: - Further improve the professionalism of the police force (Netherlands to
Barbados, Session 3). - Take the necessary steps to reduce discriminatory practices and
violence against women (France to Mali, Session 2).
Category 5 – Recommendations of specific action (key action verbs: undertake, adopt, ratify, establish, implement, recognize –in international legal sense)
Examples: - Abolish the death penalty (Chile to Burkina Faso, Session 3). - Adopt legislative measures to outlaw domestic violence if it has not done
so already (South Africa to Russian Federation, Session 4).
13
Breakdown by Action Category Category 1, 492 - 2%
Category 2, 3,059 - 14%
Category 3, 2,039 - 10%
Category 4, 8,403 - 39%
Category 5, 7,366 - 35%
14
Distribution of Action Categories by Recommending States
Africa Asia EEG GRULAC WEOG0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
25.0%
30.0%
35.0%
40.0%
45.0%
50.0%
12345
Recommending Region
Perc
enta
ge o
f Rec
omm
enda
tions Action Cate-
gory
15
Percentage of Acceptance for Recommendation Categories
Category1 Category 2 Category 3 Category 4 Category 5 0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
120%
AcceptedOther Responses
Action Category
Resp
onse
Per
cent
age
16
SuR Response to Recommendations Disaggregated by Action Categories
Accepted Rejected General response No response0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Category 1Category 2Category 3Category 4Category 5
Response to Recommendations
Action Cate-gory
17
• Accepted (%)1. International instruments – 20.1% 572. Women – 17.3% 843. Children – 16.1% 834. Torture – 8.1% 645. Justice – 7.3% 746. Human rights education and training – 4.4% 917. Detention conditions – 4.3% 708. Special Procedures – 4.1% 499. Minorities – 3.9% 7910. Treaty Bodies – 3.8 77
Common Issues in Recommendations
18
Issues by Percentage - SuR Regional Distribution Sessions(25% and over are bolded)Region of State under Review
Africa Asia EEG GRULAC WEOG Total
International instruments
25 32 9 15 19 100
Women 32 31 11 15 11 100
Children 34 26 11 17 12 100
Torture 37 29 9 14 11 100
Justice 32 30 11 20 7 100
Human rights education and training
35 27 12 15 11 100
19
Issues by Percentage - Recommending Regional Distribution (25% and over are bolded)Recomm-ending Region
Africa Asia EEG GRULAC WEOG Total
International instruments 10 9 14 27 39
99
Women (ESC)10 15 14 17 42
99
Children (ESC) 10 15 18 19 37
99
Torture (CP)4 6 17 23 50
99
Justice (CP)8 12 14 15 51
99
Human rights education and training
16 20 16 10 37
99
20
Recommendation rate of Selected ESC and CP Issues made by WEOG and Africa/Asia
CP ESC0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
WEOGAfrica/Asia
Selected CP & ESC Issues
Perc
enta
ge o
f Rec
omm
enda
tions
Mad
e
21
Overall Acceptance Rate for Selected CP and ESC Issues
CP ESC0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
Selected CP & ESC Issues
Rate
of A
ccep
tanc
e
22
Overall Percentage of Category 5 Recommendations for Selected CP and ESC Issues
CP ESC0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
Selected CP & ESC Issues
Perc
enta
ge o
f Rec
omm
enda
tions
23
Regional Groups’ Recommendation Action Categories and Levels of Democracy Regional Group of State Making Recommendation Mean Action Category
Africa 2.85
Asia 2.86
EEG 3.64
GRULAC 3.70
WEOG 3.83
Polity IV Project level of democracy Mean action category
Autocracy 2.84
Anocracy 2.82
Democracy 3.30
24
Mean Action Level for Recommendations Rated Democracy/Anocracy/Autocracy ClassificationRegional group Overall Autocracy Anocracy Democracy
Africa-Africa 2.82 2.74 2.83 2.95
Africa-World 3.03 3.03 2.99 3.19
Asia- Asia 2.83 2.75 2.64 3.10
Asia- World 3.05 2.88 2.73 3.19
EEG-EEG 3.54 3.44 3.44 3.70
EEG-World 3.74 3.16 3.55 3.88
25
Rates of Acceptance Recommendations Amongst All Action Categories
Africa Asia EEG0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
DemocracyAnocracyAutocracy
Region of State under Review
26
Conclusions - Positive ElementsThe first cycle of the UPR has resulted in a
number of positive elements. States appear to care about the process and
how their performance is reflected through it. Heightened communication and dialogue
between governments and non-state actors. A baseline set of documentation.Some positive results.May lead to a diminution of the regional bloc
dynamic which has impeded global relations.
27
ChallengesPatterns exist reflecting the polarized nature
of the contemporary international community, and different approaches to dealing with human rights issues. States in Asia and Africa tend to take a softer approach to addressing human rights issues amongst themselves.
UPR mechanism needs to be strengthened to consolidate its credibility.
UPR’s support may be broad, it is not necessarily deep in terms of creating a more robust mechanism.
28
RecommendationsProvide more action-oriented
Recommendations.Heighten Engagement of NGOs. Emphasize Second Cycle Follow-UpMake meaningful mid-term reporting the
normPromote serious and sustained SuR
engagementLimit recommendations making either
generic appeals to the international community to provide assistance or simply calls for an action or policy to be continued.
Recommended