CHRI London

Networking

Workshop on the UNHRC’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR)

Against a background of concern regarding increasing the efficiency of civil society organisation participation in the monitoring of the UNHRC's UPR, CHRI London, in association with the Delhi team, held a workshop in May 2008. The workshop was titled ‘The UK and the Commonwealth: Acting Together at the UN Human Rights Council and the Universal Periodic Review - A Civil Society Consultation’ and was attended by representatives from civil society including Amnesty International, Save the Children, the Equal Rights Trust, and the Islamic Human Rights Commission amongst others. Also present were representatives from the Equality and Human Rights Commission and the Commonwealth Secretariat. At the workshop there was a focus on possible mechanisms that could be implemented in regards to improving the UPR process and the engagement of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) within it. In addition the possibility of forming a CSO Affinity Group within the UPR and HRU council was discussed. These discussions followed the recommendations made by CHRI London at the Universal Periodic Meeting of Human Rights Council at the Commonwealth Secretariat in March.