Reporting on human rights achievements in the Commonwealth

A seminar on the Universal Periodic Review of Human Rights in the Commonwealth will be held at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London, UK, from 20 to 21 November 2008. It will be the third in the series of seminars that will share best practices and assist countries to prepare for the new Universal Periodic Review process at the United Nations. The two-day seminar will enable Commonwealth countries that have yet to undertake their Universal Periodic Review of human rights in their respective countries to prepare their reports and meet international requirements.

Delegates from 11 Commonwealth countries which are scheduled to file their Universal Periodic Review report for the UN next year will be participating in the London seminar. It will bring together government officials and representatives from national human rights commissions and civil society. They comprise participants from Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Cameroon, Canada, Cyprus, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, New Zealand, Nigeria and Vanuatu.

Officials from the UK and Tonga will make country presentations, while representatives from the national human rights commissions of Ghana and South Africa, will share their perspectives on human rights issues that should be included in the reporting process. Representatives of non-governmental organisations from India and Ghana will serve as panelists and share their experiences and proposals.

Belize and Dominica, which are among the 13 Commonwealth countries scheduled for the Universal Periodic Review on Human Rights next year, participated in a regional seminar in Barbados on 6-7 October this year.

“The process of reviewing every state’s human rights situation at the Human Rights Council has great potential in establishing a level playing field for the promotion of human rights standards and practice,” said Dr Purna Sen.

“This seminar seeks to raise awareness of the new reporting mechanism and to help Commonwealth states and stakeholders prepare for this important process. The Commonwealth Secretariat is committed to engaging with the Universal Periodic Review and promoting best practices in preparation for and beyond the Geneva discussions. After all, the main aim is to bring about improvements in human rights on the ground.”

The Universal Periodic Review Drafting Co-ordinator Théo Boutruche from the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights will also facilitate the seminar.

Key Links:

• Human Rights