Beyond the 4th UPR Cycle: Strengthening the Process for Transformative Human Rights Impact
In June 2026, Dr Alice Storey was invited to take part in a high-level retreat in Rabat, Morocco, organised by the UN’s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, UPR Info, and the Moroccan Interministerial Delegation for Human Rights. The event was attended by government ambassadors and representatives, UN experts, and civil society organisations.
The aim of the ‘Beyond the 4th UPR Cycle’ retreat was to bring together key actors to provide a focused and strategic space for exchange as the UN’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) transitions from Cycles Four to Five in 2027.
Such an initiative is vital to ensuring the UPR’s impact on the ground globally. This is of particular concern given the challenging context of non-cooperation with the UPR and the broader threats to international human rights.
As the only academic to be invited to the event, Dr Storey was able to draw upon over a decade of research and practical engagement with the UPR to make a number of interventions at the retreat, focused on:
- Systematic and consistent tracking of implementation of UPR recommendations
- The role of parliamentarians
- Empowering CSOs at the UPR
- Reflecting on state non-cooperation
You can read the full non-paper submitted by Dr Storey, including proposed actions and sharing of good practice.
Reflecting on her participation in this retreat, Dr Storey said, “it was a privilege to be invited to such a prestigious event and to help shape the future of the UPR mechanism and human rights globally.” Dr Storey, Associate Professor of Human Rights, created the UPR Project at BCU in 2018 which engages with the UPR through three streams of work: (1) research, (2) education, and (3) practice.
Next steps include a forthcoming outcome report based upon discussions at the event, with subsequent action being taken to ensure the longevity and impact of the UPR mechanism.