22 October 2009 @ 14h00 Geneva time (12h00 noon GMT/UTC)

You are invited to join a Web-based lecture and discussion on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and the role of civil society. Guest speaker Julie de Rivero, Geneva Advocacy Director of Human Rights Watch, will discuss with you how civil society plays an important role in the UPR process.



Topic of discussion

Through the UPR, the Human Rights Council (HRC) reviews on a periodic basis the fulfillment by each UN member state of their human rights obligations and commitments. HRC resolution 5/1 provides that the UPR should "ensure the participation of all relevant stakeholders, including non-governmental organizations and national human rights institutions". On behalf of civil society, a stakeholder summary is presented by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) as one of three core documents used in the review of each country.

Participants in the webinar will discuss the preparation and submission of an effective contribution to the stakeholder summary. To be effective, submissions should be evidence-based, yet concise. The webinar will also provide an opportunity to discuss ways that civil society can engage in the subsequent follow-up to the UPR with national governments.

Target audience

Staff of NGOs, community-based organisations, national human rights institutions and other members of civil society are encouraged to participate.

About the guest speaker

Julie de Rivero is the Advocacy Director of Human Rights Watch in Geneva. Prior to this position, she worked at OHCHR-Cambodia as head of its protection team. Julie de Rivero also worked as a Verification Officer and Political Affairs Officer for the UN Verification Mission to Guatemala and then joined OHCHR as Assistant to the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants. She has also worked for the Switzerland-based International Service for Human Rights as manager of its Human Rights Defenders Program.

What is a 'webinar'?

A webinar is a web-based seminar in which several hundred people can participate at one time. Like a classroom, the participants will listen to a lecture, view a slideshow presentation and interact with the presenter through follow up questions and discussion. Participants without the ability to speak via their Internet connection can submit questions through a chat function.

Technical requirements:

* Internet connection
* Computer speakers, a headset or earphones to listen to the lecture

Register to participate

There is no cost to participate, but registration is required in order to receive the details necessary to join the discussion. The webinar is limited to 250 participants, so please fill the registration form soon to ensure your attendance. 

The UN Human Rights Council