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
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