UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL: Countries selected for the first cycle of the Universal Periodic Review

The UN Human Rights Council has now selected the first countries to be examined under the new Universal Periodic Review mechanism. The countries listed below will be reviewed over the course of next year's Council sessions.

The UPR aims to ensure that the Council examines the human rights records of all UN Member States equally. The new mechanism came out of the Council’s reform process in response to complaints that the same countries are always singled out for criticism whilst others with similar human rights records for political reasons escape comment. The review is due to begin in February 2008.

Countries to be considered at the 1st session

1. Bahrain
2. Ecuador
3. Tunisia
4. Morocco
5. Indonesia
6. Finland
7. United Kingdom
8. India
9. Brazil
10. Philippines
11. Algeria
12. Poland
13. Netherlands
14. South Africa
15. Czech Republic
16. Argentina

States to be considered at the 2nd session

1. Gabon
2. Ghana
3. Peru
4. Guatemala
5. Benin
6. Republic of Korea
7. Switzerland
8. Pakistan
9. Zambia
10. Japan
11. Ukraine
12. Sri Lanka
13. France
14. Tonga
15. Romania
16. Mali

States to be considered at the 3rd session

1. Botswana
2. Bahamas
3. Burundi
4. Luxembourg
5. Barbados
6. Montenegro
7. United Arab Emirates
8. Israel
9. Liechtenstein
10. Serbia
11. Turkmenistan
12. Burkina Faso
13. Cape verde
14. Colombia
15. Uzbekistan
16. Tuvalu

Further information

• CRINMAIL on child rights at the 6th Session of the Human Rights Council
• More information on the 6th Session
• News page on the Human Rights Council
• Information page on the Human Rights Council
• Subgroup on the Human Rights Council