Scottish Human Rights recommendations for 2017 UPR

Date: 14th April 2017
Category: Universal Periodic Review (UPR)

The UPR is a way of holding countries to account for their compliance with international human rights laws and standards.

The Commission has produced seven briefing papers on key issues for the UPR in 2017.

Every four to five years, Member States of the United Nations assess each other's progress on human rights through the Human Rights Council. The Council then makes a series of recommendations to the government of the country being assessed. This is called the Universal Periodic Review (UPR).

The UPR is a way of holding countries to account for their compliance with international human rights laws and standards. Established in 2008, every one of the 193 UN Member States is reviewed once every four to five years.

The UPR means that Scotland and the UK's performance on human rights is examined against the requirements of international human rights treaties and commitments. The UK was one of the first States to be reviewed in 2008. It was reviewed again in 2012, and is set to be reviewed for a third time in early 2017. The UN will set out its final findings and recommendations later in 2017.

As Scotland's national human rights institution the Scottish Human Rights Commission has a distinct role in the review process. They contribute evidence, support civil society organisations to take part in the process, and have speaking rights at the Human Rights Council.

• Read the SHRC's evidence contribution to the 2017 review.

The Commission has also produced seven briefing papers on key issues for the UPR in 2017 on the following:

• International human rights instruments in domestic law;
• Gender equality;
• Children's rights;
• Race and religion;
• Social care;
• Detention, hate crime and human trafficking;
• Economic and social rights;

Together's UPR submission

Together worked in partnership with the Children's Rights Alliance for England (CRAE) and the Wales UNCRC Monitoring Group to make a submission. Together's input into the submission drew from feedback and evidence provided by NGO members of Together. It reflected on the progress made since the recommendations made to the UK Government in 2008 through the first session of the Universal Periodic Review. It also highlighted additional key issues raised through the Together's annual State of Children's Rights reports.

• Read Together's September 2016 submission with England and Wales here.

Currently, Together are preparing an oral briefing with CRAE and the Wales UNCRC Monitoring Group to be delivered to the Human Rights council next week in advance of the UK's May 2017 review. This will include issues raised by Together's members such as the impact of Brexit on children, plans to repeal the Human Rights act, Child Rights Impact Assessments (CRIA), children of prisoners, child poverty and violence against children.