This year, Ireland will undergo the second periodic examination of its human rights record under the United Nations Universal Periodic Review (UPR). The UPR is a peer-to-peer review process in which each of the 193 states that comprise the United Nations voluntarily submit themselves for a review of their domestic human rights record every four and a half years. This year, once again, it’s Ireland’s turn.
The Review takes place at the headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva. During the Review Ireland will outline the progress it has made on implementing many of the recommendations from its first review in 2011. All of the 193 UN States will have an opportunity to make concrete recommendations to Ireland on a myriad of human rights issues including:
- Housing and homelessness
- Reproductive rights
- The rights of persons with a disability
- Access to adequate healthcare and education
- LGBTI rights
- Prisons and detention
- Immigration and asylum
- The rights of children and older people
- The rights of Travellers, Roma and other minority groups in Ireland
- The historical abuse of women and children
- and many others…
During its first UPR Cycle in 2011, 127 separate recommnedations were made to Ireland by other UN States. This year, Ireland will report on its progress in implementing those recommendations it accepted and to highlight new issues which have emerged.
The ICCL led Your Rights. Right Now civil society coalition invites you to attend a live webcast of Ireland’s UPR review on Wednesday 11 May 2016 in Dublin, Cork and Galway from 1pm – 5.00pm.
During the review, which takes place at the United Nations in Geneva, the Irish Government will present a report on how it is protecting human rights at home. It will then engage in an interactive dialogue with other UN Member States who will ask questions and make recommendations to Ireland.
Join us at one of our webcasts which will be held in the following venues:
- Dublin: Goldsmiths Hall, Radisson Blu Royal Hotel, Golden Lane, Dublin 8
- Galway: Venue TBC
- Cork: Venue TBC
R.S.V.P. to rightsnow@iccl.ie
Please provide your name and the location of the event you wish to attend
More information on the coalition can be found at www.rightsnow.ie
Plain English Guide to UPR can be accessed here.
Your Rights. Right Now. Civil Society Report can be accessed here.
A full list of Advance Questions are available here.
‘UPR video: Voices from the Ground’ can be accessed here.