The UN Human Rights Council has now selected the first countries to be examined under the new Universal Periodic Review mechanism. The countries listed below will be reviewed over the course of next year's Council sessions.

The UPR aims to ensure that the Council examines the human rights records of all UN Member States equally. The new mechanism came out of the Council’s reform process in response to complaints that the same countries are always singled out for criticism whilst others with similar human rights records for political reasons escape comment. The review is due to begin in February 2008.

Countries to be considered at the 1st session

1. Bahrain
2. Ecuador
3. Tunisia
4. Morocco
5. Indonesia
6. Finland
7. United Kingdom
8. India
9. Brazil
10. Philippines
11. Algeria
12. Poland
13. Netherlands
14. South Africa
15. Czech Republic
16. Argentina


States to be considered at the 2nd session

1. Gabon
2. Ghana
3. Peru
4. Guatemala
5. Benin
6. Republic of Korea
7. Switzerland
8. Pakistan
9. Zambia
10. Japan
11. Ukraine
12. Sri Lanka
13. France
14. Tonga
15. Romania
16. Mali

States to be considered at the 3rd session

1. Botswana
2. Bahamas
3. Burundi
4. Luxembourg
5. Barbados
6. Montenegro
7. United Arab Emirates
8. Israel
9. Liechtenstein
10. Serbia
11. Turkmenistan
12. Burkina Faso
13. Cape verde
14. Colombia
15. Uzbekistan
16. Tuvalu

Further information

• CRINMAIL on child rights at the 6th Session of the Human Rights Council
• More information on the 6th Session
• News page on the Human Rights Council
• Information page on the Human Rights Council
• Subgroup on the Human Rights Council

Previous News release items

• 24/09/2007: First International Conference on Child Sexual Abuse in Africa
• 24/09/2007: UNITED KINGDOM: Fight cyberbullies, schools told
• 24/09/2007: UNITED STATES: $100 children's laptop launched
• 24/09/2007: UNITED STATES: Lawyers refile Dubai slavery case
• 24/09/2007: LEBANON: Summer camp for refugee children

Organisation Contact Details:

UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
OHCHR-UNOG
8-14 Avenue de la Paix
1211 Geneva 10
Tel: +41 22 917 9000
Website: www.ohchr.org

Last updated 25/09/2007 06:03:35

Please note that these reports are hosted by CRIN as a resource for Child Rights campaigners, researchers and other interested parties. Unless otherwise stated, they are not the work of CRIN and their inclusion in our database does not necessarily signify endorsement or agreement with their content by CRIN.