Universal Periodic Review Toolkit

NGO Group for the Convention on the Rights of the Child has prepared a child rights Universal Periodic Review toolkit. The aim of this toolkit it to help users understand the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), and how NGOs can participate and contribute.

The UPR is a new mechanism under which the UN Human Rights Council will examine the human rights situation in every Member State of the UN and issue recommendations stating necessary improvements. The aim of the UPR is to assess the States performance regarding UN human rights documents, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Each State will be examined every four years. The review will be based on reports submitted by the State, UN human rights system, and other stakeholders, such as NGOs. The UPR is an intergovernmental process, States will be judged by other Member States of the Human Rights Council.

Universal Periodic Review represents an excellent opportunity for making children's rights central to its work. NGOs and human rights institutions can get involved in a few ways, for example by participating in consultations for a State report, or preparing their own report.

The toolkit contains information on Universal Periodic Review and how it will work, along with guidelines how NGOs can participate, and help make the UPR child-focused.

Electronic version of the toolkit and more information are available at CRIN's website.