When: Thursday, 9. July 2009 11:00
To: Thursday, 9. July 2009
Where: Sarajevo, dr. Pintola 23, Ilidza
Host: Hotel Hollywood
Contact: Lejla Mazlic (sarajevo@humanrightshouse.org / +387 33 660 811)
More info: www.humanrightshouse.org

All interested representatives of non-governmental organizations in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) are invited take active participation in public debate on the draft of the NGO Report for UPR of B&H, on July 9th at 11 a.m. in the Hotel Hollywood, dr. Pintola 23, Ilidza in Sarajevo. 

Text of the Draft and of the official call for NGOs are available for download. The Draft can also be found on the internet site of the Human Rights House Sarajevo  in the right column ‘Documents’ and on internet websites of Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in B&H: www.bh-hchr.org and ICVA: www.icva-bh.org.

The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a unique process which involves a review of the human rights records of all 192 UN Member States once every four years. The UPR is a State-driven process, under the auspices of the Human Rights Council, which provides the opportunity for each State to declare what actions they have taken to improve the human rights situations in their countries and to fulfil their human rights obligations. As one of the main features of the Council, the UPR is designed to ensure equal treatment for every country when their human rights situations are assessed.

The UPR was created through the UN General Assembly on 15 March 2006 by resolution 60/251, which established the Human Rights Council itself. It is a cooperative process which, by 2011, will have reviewed the human rights records of every country. Currently, no other universal mechanism of this kind exists. The UPR is one of the key elements of the new Council which reminds States of their responsibility to fully respect and implement all human rights and fundamental freedoms. The ultimate aim of this new mechanism is to improve the human rights situation in all countries and address human rights violations wherever they occur.

The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a unique process which involves a review of the human rights records of all 192 UN Member States once every four years. The UPR is a State-driven process, under the auspices of the Human Rights Council, which provides the opportunity for each State to declare what actions they have taken to improve the human rights situations in their countries and to fulfil their human rights obligations. As one of the main features of the Council, the UPR is designed to ensure equal treatment for every country when their human rights situations are assessed.

According to the already established timetable, Bosnia and Herzegovina is on the agenda of the HRC during its Seventh Session scheduled for February 2010. It means that all the relevant reports, including the reports of NGO’s and from the Government, are to be submitted by September 2009.

Regarding the above mentioned, Human Rights House of Sarajevo started with the implementation of the project “The UPR Process – Occasion to Strengthen Civil Society and Improve Human Rights in B&H” financed by the Swiss Embassy in Sarajevo. More info on the project also available for download.

Documents: