The Follow-up Programme

The second and subsequent cycles of the review should focus on, inter alia, the implementation of the accepted recommendations and the development of the human rights situation in the State under review.
A/HRC/RES/16/21, adopted on 12 April 2011 (Annex I C § 6)

While the follow-up importance is highlighted in the Human Rights Council, no precise guidelines have been set up on the way the follow-up should be undertook. However, the unique purpose of UPR recommandations is to implement them: to ensure States implemented them, the international community has a monitoring and reporting duty. Unless the UPR follow-up is seriously considered, the UPR mechanism as a whole could be jeopardized.

Since 2011, UPR Info is publishing assessments on the implementation of Universal Periodic Review recommendations, through its "Follow-up Programme". Every country of the world which was reviewed at the UPR is covered at mid-term by the Programme, in between two UPRs. In a first stage, every stakeholder (State reviewed, Scholars, NGOs, National Human Rights Institutions, UN Agencies) is invited to provide information about the implementation. In a second stage, we publish an assement named the "Mid-term Implementation Assessment" (MIA) which compiles all inputs received by stakeholders. An overall study showing the first findings and addressing the challenges for the second UPR cycle can be downloaded: On the road to implementation.

The MIA shows a comprehensive picture to all stakeholders of the domestic implementation's level, and thus saves them time (MIAs can be downloaded using dropdown lists above). Such a summary is an useful tool for at least three reasons: first, as several stakeholders share their concerns related to human rights situation, the summary covers different areas at once. Indeed, one will require less time to gather scattered information about the progress made by the State. Second, Stakeholders can identify other organisations with the same area of concern, helping to pool means of action. Third, stakeholders can use the digest to advocate for further governmental measures to fully implement recommendations received. The MIA is a quicker and easier way to show State's compliance with both international and domestic raised issues, and will support stakeholders' work.

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