Pacific countries share UPR experiences

A two-day workshop has brought together officials from a number of Pacific countries to share experiences and develop approaches for participating in the UN Human Rights Council’s new Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism.

Held in Auckland on 3 – 4 February, and organised by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the seminar sought to provide participating governments with a clear expectation and realistic experience of the actual UPR process.

Tonga and Tuvalu are the only two Pacific countries who have so far participated in the UPR, a new review process that began in 2008 and which examines the human rights situation of the 192 member states of the United Nations every four years.

Presenters included consultants who had assisted the governments of Tonga and Tuvalu to participate in the UPR process, government representatives who had gone through the UPR process, as well as representatives of organisations that have been actively following the UPR process since its inception.

A representative from Vanuatu briefed delegates on the government’s process for preparing its national UPR report, in advance of its participation in the 5th Session of the UPR in May 2009.

Participants also viewed a recorded webcast of the government of Tonga's UPR and took part in a role-play of a mock UPR session, based on the experiences of Tuvalu’s review.

Throughout the two day program, delegates discussed the principles, objectives and modalities of the UPR, along with ‘best practices’ for States and other stakeholders in preparing information for the UPR, including:

• the importance of broad consultation with all relevant stakeholders in the preparation of State reports; and
• the need for States, with the assistance of the international community, to implement the recommendations coming out of the UPR process.

Participants highlighted the importance of Pacific Island countries engaging with the UPR process as a way to improve the human rights situation ‘on the ground’ throughout the region.

Delegates said the UPR provides an opportunity for Pacific Island countries to have the attention of the international community focus on the challenges each faces, achievements made, as well as areas of support still needed in the area of human rights.

The seminar identified the critical need for both financial and technical assistance for Pacific Island countries in their preparation for, and presentation of their national UPR reports, and implementation of agreed UPR recommendations.

Vanuatu and New Zealand will both participate in the 5th Session of the UPR in May 2009.

Participants

Participants in the "Pacific Capacity-Building Seminar on the Universal Periodic Review, included representatives from Australia, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and the United Kingdom.

Representatives from the New Zealand Human Rights Commission, including Chief Commissioner Rosslyn Noonan and Executive Director Joanna Collinge, took part in the seminar. Ms Suraina Pasha, Regional Training Manager, represented the APF.

Other participating organisations included the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Pacific Regional Rights Resource Team of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community, the Commonwealth Secretariat Human Rights Unit and regional NGOs, including PIANGO and Oceania Human Rights.

Find out more

• Universal Periodic Review – find background information, review schedules and latest news, as well as specific information for national human rights institutions and NGOs.