The UPR Project at BCU

The Centre for Human Rights (CHR) has been engaging with the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) since 2016. Under the auspice of the Human Rights Council, the UPR is an intergovernmental process providing a review of the human rights record of all Member States. Through the UPR Project at BCU, the CHR engages with the UPR through taking part in the UPR Pre-sessions, providing capacity building for UPR stakeholders and National Human Rights Institutions, and the filing of stakeholder reports in selected sessions. The UPR Project is designed to help meet the challenges facing the safeguarding of human rights around the world, and to help ensure that UPR recommendations are translated into domestic legal change in member state parliaments. We fully support the UPR ethos of encouraging the sharing of best practice globally to protect everyone's human rights.

UN Geneva UPR project

Researchers

Consultancy background

The Centre for Human Rights has been engaging with the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) since 2016. Under the auspice of the Human Rights Council, the UPR is an intergovernmental process providing a review of the human rights record of all Member States. Through the UPR Project at BCU, the CHR engages with the mechanism through taking part in the UPR Pre-sessions, providing capacity building for UPR stakeholders and National Human Rights Institutions, and the filing of stakeholder reports in selected sessions.

The Pre-sessions are organised by the NGO, UPRinfo, which brings together UN Permanent Missions, national human rights institutions, and civil society organisations to discuss the key human rights issues in the member states to be considered in the UPR. It seeks to identify stakeholder needs within individual member states, in order to help ensure that stakeholder issues and the claimed human rights violations are adequately reported to the Pre-session to help inform the UPR in the Human Rights Council. The UPR Project has engaged in numerous countries’ Pre-sessions, including Sudan and Namibia, having discussions with government delegations and civil society organisations across the world, and impacting upon recommendations made at the UPR.

In September 2019, the UPR Project at BCU submitted its first stakeholder report to the USA’s UPR. Since then, we have submitted reports to the UPRs of multiple countries, including Myanmar, Namibia, Eswatini, Sudan, Thailand, Papua New Guinea, South Sudan, and the Syrian Arab Republic. Our reports are frequently cited by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. You can read these reports and information about reports in preparation below.

Projects

Universal Periodic Review 2022 – UK Civil Society Engagement

These activities funded by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) are jointly-delivered by the Centre for Human Rights’ UPR Project at BCU and the barrister’s chambers 4 King’s Bench Walk, Inner Temple. We aim to provide support and training for civil society engagement in England and Wales to engage effectively with the UK’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR). 

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The UPR Project at BCU: Germany

In April 2023, the UPR Project at BCU submitted a report to Germany’s UPR, led by Dr Alice Storey. This report focuses ...

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The UPR Project at BCU: Cameroon

Our Stakeholder report to Cameroon’s Universal Periodic Review, led by Dr Amna Nazir, makes specific recommendations to...

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The UPR Project at BCU: Djibouti

Our Stakeholder report to Djibouti’s Universal Periodic Review, led by Dr Amna Nazir, makes specific recommendations to...

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The UPR Project at BCU: USA

Advising the United States of America on the subjects of  capital punishment, climate change, and compassionate release...

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The UPR Project at BCU: Myanmar

The Centre for Human Rights provides recommendations for Myanmar to ratify the Second Optional Protocol to the ICCPR on...

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The UPR Project at BCU: Sudan

This stakeholder report submitted to Sudan’s third cycle UPR is led by Dr Amna Nazir and builds upon our 2016 work wit...

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The UPR Project at BCU: Eswatini

Our stakeholder report to Eswatini's Universal Periodic Review, led by Dr Alice Storey , makes specific recommendation...

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The UPR Project at BCU: Namibia

Our Stakeholder report to Namibia's Universal Periodic Review makes specific recommendations to the government on eradi...

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The UPR Project at BCU: Pakistan

In July 2022, the UPR Project at BCU submitted two submissions to Pakistan’s UPR, both led by Dr Amna Nazir. The firs...

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The UPR Project at BCU: UK

In March 2022, the UPR Project at BCU submitted two joint submissions to the UK’s UPR. The first was submitted in conj...

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The UPR Project at BCU: Brazil

This project will form staff and student collaborations to identify key human rights issues in Brazil.

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The UPR Project At BCU: Thailand

Our stakeholder report to Thailand’s Universal Periodic Review, led by Professor Jon Yorke, makes specific recommendat...

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The UPR Project At BCU: Papua New Guinea

Our stakeholder report to Papua New Guinea’s Universal Periodic Review, led by  Professor Jon Yorke , makes specific...

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The UPR Project at BCU: Syrian Arab Republic

Our Stakeholder report to the Syrian Arab Republic’s Universal Periodic Review, led by Professor Jon Yorke, makes spec...

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The UPR Project at BCU: South Sudan

Our Stakeholder report to South Sudan’s Universal Periodic Review, led by Dr. Amna Nazir, makes specific recommendatio...

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The UPR Project at BCU: Indonesia

Our Stakeholder report to Indonesia’s Universal Periodic Review, led by Dr. Amna Nazir, makes specific recommendations...

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The UPR Project at BCU: Philippines

Our Stakeholder report to Philippines’ Universal Periodic Review, led by Dr. Amna Nazir, makes specific recommendation...

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The UPR Project at BCU: South Africa

Our Stakeholder report to South Africa’s Universal Periodic Review, led by Professor Jon Yorke, makes specific recomme...

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The UPR Project at BCU: Benin

Our Stakeholder report to Benin’s Universal Periodic Review, led by Dr. Amna Nazir, makes specific recommenda...

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The UPR Project at BCU: Japan

Our Stakeholder report to Japan’s Universal Periodic Review, led by Dr. Alice Storey , makes specific reco...

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The UPR Project at BCU: Gabon

Our Stakeholder report to Gabon’s Universal Periodic Review, led by Dr. Amna Nazir, makes specific recommenda...

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The UPR Project at BCU: Zambia

Our Stakeholder report to Zambia’s Universal Periodic Review, led by Dr. Amna Nazir, makes specific recommend...

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The UPR Project at BCU: Sri Lanka

Our Stakeholder report to Sri Lanka’s Universal Periodic Review, led by Dr. Amna Nazir , makes specific re...

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The UPR Project at BCU: Ghana

In partnership with AIDER and led by Dr Amna Nazir, our Stakeholder report to Ghana’s Universal Periodic Review...

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The UPR Project at BCU: Botswana

Our Stakeholder report to Botswana’s Universal Periodic Review, led by Dr Alice Storey, makes specific recommendations...

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The UPR Project at BCU: Mali

Our Stakeholder report to Mali’s Universal Periodic Review, led by Dr Amna Nazir, makes specific recommendations to th...

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The UPR Project at BCU: UAE

Our stakeholder report to the UAE’S Universal Periodic Review, led by Dr Amna Nazir, makes specific recommendations to...

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