Universal Periodic Reviewof the United Nations
From February 2018, thanks to the preparation and involvement of FMSI, twelve Mexican organizations and networks formed a working group to define the most important topics dealing with children's rights and to write a report dealing with problems such as, among others: migrant and indigenous children, national legislation, the rights of girls and women.
This report forms part of the process of the Universal Periodic Review (EPU) , a mechanism of the United Nations to evaluate the present situation concerning human rights in the 193 countries involved.
During the months of August and September visits were carried out to the embassies of different countries in Mexico City to find out what had been arranged and to invite them to share the information with their counterparts in Geneva. María José Lazcano, the representative of the working group, was appointed as spokesman for the pre-session which organizes UPR Information.
The work in Geneva began on October 2. During the first week meetings were held with the permanent missions of Sweden, Brazil, Slovenia, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Chile and Norway, to offer recommendations to the Mexican State. Support was provided by the event manager of BICE, Yao Agbetse, and Cassandra Schumacher, an Australian volunteer attached to FMSI, who collaborated in the preparation of each of these meetings. In general, these were well received and appreciated by these permanent missions involved in the Rights of Boys, Girls and Adolescents.
The pre-session took place on October 12 in the Headquarters of the United Nations. Among those present were the representatives of the permanent missions, civil organisations and delegates of the Mexican government. María José Lazcano and the other speakers shared the contents of the reports and the recommendations suggested by their governments. The report presented by FMSI was the only one which dealt with issues of childhood.
Some actions to follow will be: the observance of EPU on November 7, the session of the Council of Human rights in February 2019, where the Mexican State will accept or take note of the recommendations already carried out by the missions and, of course, the follow up and monitoring by the organizations of the civil society on their progress.
Universal Periodic Review – UPR
It is a process carried out by the Human Rights Council (HRC).
It consists of the periodic review of the fulfillment of human rights in each of the member states of the United Nations. This process consists of the following phases:
- The State presents the report about human rights in the country;
- Exam and Interactive Dialogue between the State under review and the States party to the CHR and the observer States
- Adoption of the HRC report – Non-Governmental Organisations can address the State and members of the HRC orally
- The last phase involves both the State and NGOs and National Human Rights Institutes interested in implementing the recommendations.
This process constitutes a cycle that lasts four and a half years, so when this period ends the State is again examined by those who make up the HRC.
FMSI has participated in the elaboration of 44 reports, with the cooperation of other NGOs or alone (13 in America, two in Europe, 13 in Africa, nine in Oceania and seven in Asia).