--- title: "77 international and regional organizations urge the Human Rights Council to stop attempts to undermine UPR" slug: "77-international-and-regional-organizations-urge-the-human-rights-council-to-stop-attempts-to-undermine-upr" post_type: "post" published_at: "2013-06-10T16:33:01+01:00" modified_at: "2013-06-10T17:27:14+01:00" author: "CIHRS" url: "https://cihrs.org/77-international-and-regional-organizations-urge-the-human-rights-council-to-stop-attempts-to-undermine-upr/?lang=en" category: - "United Nations Human Rights Council" country: - "Egypt" field: - "Regional and International Protection and Advocacy" interest: - "Statements and Positions" protection_and_advocacy: - "United Nations Mechanisms" --- # 77 international and regional organizations urge the Human Rights Council to stop attempts to undermine UPR ![](https://cihrs.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/UN-seat-180x130.jpg "UN-seat-180x130")United Nations Human Rights Council: 23rd Session Joint Oral statement Item 6 – General Debate 10 June 2013, UPR Info **Thank you Mr. President,** Civil society is deeply concerned by the current attacks on the format of the Working Group report. This document bears great importance as it represents the official record of the review process in Geneva on which implementation of recommendations will be based. We therefore deeply regret that during the UPR 16th session two recommendations were taken out of the body of a draft report and added as footnotes because they were considered as "not relevant" by the State under review. This was an action never seen before in the UPR and runs the risk of setting a dangerous precedent. The format of the Report of the Working Group should be the same for all countries in order to guarantee equal treatment. According to Resolution 5/1, the Report is a “summary of the proceedings” and should be drafted in an objective manner. Its content should reflect the discussion held in the room and should not be subjected to negotiations by countries, as stated in Presidential statement A/HRC/PRST/8/1 from 9 April 2008. Both accepted and noted recommendations should be included in the report, irrespective of the country making them and the issue raised. All States have the right to suggest any recommendation. Similarly, any State under Review is entitled not to accept recommendations. However, under no circumstances should States have the possibility to remove recommendations from the list, not even on the grounds that recommendations are considered as being “not relevant”. Comments from States under Review on the reasons why they do not accept recommendations should be incorporated in the addendum. The chapeau or headers of the categories of recommendations in Section two of the Working Group report should be streamlined and clearly defined as: recommendations which enjoy the support, those which are noted and those pending until the HRC adoption. We therefore call on you, Mr. President, to issue a Presidential statement to immediately end any attempts to tamper with the Working Group Report and clarify its format as soon as possible. **Thank you.**###### **List of signatories:** 1\. Accion Solidaria on HIV/Aids 2. AFD International 3. All India Christian Council 4. Anti-Slavery International 5. Ariel Foundation International 6. Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) 7. Association pour l'Intégration et le Développement Durable au Burundi-AIDB 8. Bahá'í International Community 9. Bahrain Centre for Human Rights 10. Belarus Helsinki Committee 11. Canadian HIV /AIDS Legal Network 12. Cairo Institute for Human Rights 13. Centre for Civil Liberties, Ukraine 14. Child Rights Connect (formerly the NGO Group for the CRC) 15. Child Rights International Network (CRIN) 16. CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation 17. CIVILIS Human Rights 18. COC Netherlands 19. CODAP 20. Colombian Commission of Jurists 21. Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative 22. Conectas Direitos Humanos 23. Defence for Children International 24. DIVERLEX Diversidad e Igualdad a Través de la Ley (Acting World Trans Secretary of ILGA) 25. EACH European Association for Children in Hospital 26. East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project 27. Edmund Rice International 28. Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights 29. FIACAT 30. FIDH - Fédération interntionale pour les droits de l'homme 31. Fondation Alkarama 32. Franciscans International 33. Geneva for Human Rights 34. Georgian Young Lawyers Association 35. German Forum Human Rights 36. Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment of Children 37. Helsinki Citizens' Assembly – Vanadzor, Armenia 38. Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina 39. Human Rights House Foundation 40. Human Rights House Sarajevo 41. Human Rights Network Uganda (HURINET-U) 42. IFOR 43. IIMA (Istituto Internazionale Maria Ausilitrice) 44. International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA) 45. Institute for Reporter’s Freedom and Safety 46. Institute for Social Justice - Pakistan 47. International Commission of Jurists 48. International Council of Women 49. International Partnership for Human Rights 50. International Platform against Impunity 51. International Service for Human Rights 52. Irish Council for Civil Liberties 53. Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights 54. KISA – Action for Equality, Support, Antiracism 55. Marist International Solidarity Foundation (FMSI) 56. Norwegian Helsinki Committee 57. Open Society Justice Initiative, part of the Open Society Institute 58. PEN International 59. Promo LEX Association, Moldova 60. Reporters Without Borders 61. Save the Children 62. Scottish Alliance for Children's Rights 63. Sexual Rights Initiative 64. Shirkat Gah - Women’s Resource Centre Pakistan 65. Sinergia, Venezuelan Association of Civil Society Organizations 66. Stefanus Alliance 67. Together (Scottish Alliance for Children's Rights) 68. UNITED for Intercultural Action, Netherlands 69. UPR Info 70. VIDES International 71. West Africa Human Rights Defenders Network 72. Women's International League for Peace and Freedom 73. World Association for the School as an Instrument of peace 74. World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) 75. World Organisation Against Torture 76. World Vision International 77.World YWCA