1. Beyond the Procedure: The UPR as a Catalyst for Public Debate on Human Rights
Presentation by José Parra, Consultant
Friday 17 march 2017, palais des nations, geneva

2. UPR Practice of Public Debate
Action/Audience
General public
Media
Multistake-holders
Civil Society
Victims of specific groups
Interna-tional community
Legislative branch
Executive branch
Advocacy & monitoring
Public conference and awareness raising campaign
Training and
Human Rights education
Press work & social media

3. Denmark: public hearings

4. Burkina Faso: social media and training
le Centre d’information et de formation en matière de droits Humains en Afrique (CIFDHA)

5. Australian Human Rights Commission Lobbying of Canberra based missions

6. Thailand: community involvement

7. Challenges
The absence or weak national institutions in charge of human rights
The lack of knowledge about the procedure among NGOs, States and public authorities and local communities;
The lack of ongoing interest by the media beyond the review;
The absence of political will for meaningful participation, in some cases combined with repression and retaliation;
The dilemma for civil society to engage with the State without making compromise on critical human rights issues;
The preference for human rights NGOs to engage with other human rights mechanisms (e.g. treaty and regional bodies);
International interferences by international NGO or UN agencies imposing their agenda and model of intervention to national stakeholders;
The size of the country

8. Recommendations
Researching and publicize information on States’ record in implementing UPR recommendations
A media and social media strategy
Innovative and participatory human rights awareness raising activities
A standing follow-up mechanism to introduce accepted and non-accepted recommendations to the public
Donor should support civil society participation beyond the UPR process
Reinforce civil society platform, notably by incorporating all organizations since the initial stage
To include the UPR process into school curriculum for wide-spread awareness
Researching and publicize information on States’ record in implementing UPR recommendations
A media and social media strategy
Innovative and participatory human rights awareness raising activities
A standing follow-up mechanism to introduce accepted and non-accepted recommendations to the public
Donor should support civil society participation beyond the UPR process
Reinforce civil society platform, notably by incorporating every member since the initial stage.
To include the UPR process into school curriculum for wide-spread awareness.

9. Proposals
Guidelines for States on conducting meaningful consultation with civil society and the public in the UPR process
Continuing research-based exchange of experiences

10. Beyond the procedure Third UPR cycle:
How to better understand and make use of
The dynamics between the national and Geneva processes of the UPR?

11. Beyond the procedure Third UPR cycle:
How to better understand and make use of
The transnational interactions in which all stakeholders are intertwined?

12. UPR: a public debate
Thank you