About the Universal Periodic Review

In 2006, the United Nations General Assembly near unanimously adopted Resolution 60/251, to establish a Human Rights Council (replacing the Human Rights Commission) with the responsibility of promoting universal respect for the protection of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all. One of the key mandates of the Council is to undertake a Universal Periodic Review (UPR), on the fulfillment of each State’s human rights obligations and commitments. The UPR is therefore a unique Human Rights mechanism where each of the 194 UN Member States are peer-reviewed and examined on their entire human rights record every five years regardless of its size or political influence, under the same rules and supervision. States are required to respond not only to all recommendations made by its peers, but also to provide data on the implementation of recommendations it has previously accepted, including voluntary commitments. It remains a co-operative process that requires the full participation of the State under Review and complements the work of all UN treaty bodies. The UPR is a very important process for advancing the realization of human rights Nationally, Regionally and Globally.

Ghana’s Universal Periodic Review

Ghana’s human rights record was reviewed by the UN Human Rights Council (HRC), UPR Working Group (WG) in May 2008 (1st  Cycle) and in October 2012 (2nd  Cycle). The country underwent the 3rd  Cycle review on 7th  November, 2017 and received 241 recommendations. In the draft report of the UPR WG, 200 recommendations enjoyed the support of Ghana while 41 were noted. During the formal adoption that took place in March 2018, Ghana accepted an additional 12 recommendations (10 accepted and 2 partially accepted) out of the 41. That brings the number of the total accepted recommendations by Ghana to 212 out of 241, while 29
recommendations were noted. Prior to Ghana’s 3 rd  review by the UPR WG of the Human Rights Council, Ghanaian CSOs came together in a broad-based coalition led by the POS Foundation to undertake several activities
within the cycle which include but not limited to;

• CSOs Pre UPR Reports Submission Workshop, held in March, 2017. As a result, CSOs submitted over 10 thematic reports to the HRC by deadline of 30th  March, 2017.

• In-Country Pre-Session themed ‘Diplomacy meets Human Rights’ was organized in Accra, Ghana from 6th  to 7th  September, 2017 where factsheets on respective thematic areas of rights were developed by CSOs as an advocacy and lobbying tool in the process.

• Geneva Pre-Session in October, 2017, an effort to undertake coordinated and sustained lobbying among the various Recommending States.

• During the development of the State report, the Government of Ghana consulted CSOs before it was submitted to the HRC.
• Watch Party on 7th  November, 2017, Ghana Review.

• ‘CSOs Strategy Workshop on the Implementation of the UPR Recommendations’ held in Accra, Ghana from 27th  - 28th  February and 15th  March, 2018. The workshop led to the development of a draft Implementation Plan and Action Strategy for the 212 accepted recommendations.
• Media training workshops were organized to aid in the monitoring process.

• Multi-Stakeholders National Dialogue on the Implementation of the UPR
• Recommendations’ held on Wednesday, 22nd  August, 2018, Thursday, 23rd  August, 2018 and Friday 24th  August, 2018 at The Kempinski Hotel, Accra.

• National Strategic Multi Stakeholder Workshop on Mid-Term Reporting under the UPR Mechanism.

• National Strategic Multi stakeholder Workshop on Mid-Term Reporting under the UPR Mechanism.