UPR23: Joint stakeholder submissions in collaboration with national organizations

The 23rd session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) will take place at the UN Human Rights Council, in Geneva, from 2-13 November 2015.

Fourteen countries will be reviewed during the session, including: Micronesia, Lebanon, Mauritania, Nauru, Rwanda, Nepal, Saint Lucia, Oman, Austria, Myanmar, Australia, Georgia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Sao Tome and Principe.

The Sexual Rights Initiative (SRI) collaborated with national NGOs and activists in five countries up for review to prepare eight stakeholder submissions:
 

Georgia

• SRI, HERA-XXI Report focus: safe abortion, access to contraception and the rights of sex workers
• SRI, Real People Real Vision Report focus: comprehensive sexuality education, sexual rights, sexual abuse, sexual exploitation; sexual violence; domestic violence; gender based violence; marital rape; young women and girls.

Lebanon

• SRI, A Project and Center for Reproductive Rights Report focus: family violence, marital rape, personal status law, rights of LGBT persons, contraception, safe abortion
• SRI, Arab Foundation for Freedom and Equality Report focus: women’s rights, LGBT people, sexual rights, reproductive rights, freedom of Association and Expression

Nepal

• SRI, Beyond Beijing Committee Report focus: safe abortion, legalization, unsafe abortion

Rwanda

• SRI, Great Lakes Initiative for Human Rights and Development, IPAS Report focus: access to legal abortion, maternal mortality
• SRI, Horizon Community Association Report focus: Freedom of association, freedom of movement, freedom of expression, right to health, right to privacy, LGBTI people, sex workers, violations by state-actors, access to justice, discrimination, exclusion, HIV/AIDS, right to health

St. Lucia

• SRI, CariFlags, United and Strong Inc. Report focus: women’s rights, LGBT people, child rights

Adoption of UPR reports: March 2016

The outcome report for each State under Review during UPR23 will be adopted at the 31st session of the Human Rights Council in March 2016. At this time, it will be known which recommendations the State under review will agree to implement. This is the only opportunity for civil society to make an oral statement during the official UPR process. The SRI, in collaboration with partners and allies, will work to ensure that sexual and reproductive rights are visible in the lead up to and during this segment of the UPR process.