State Dept: New Website for Human Rights Review

The State Department has launched a new website for the Universal Period Review (UPR) conducted by the U.N. Human Rights Council. The UPR, established in 2006, reviews the human rights records of all U.N. member states every four years. It seeks to “prompt, support, and expand the promotion and protection of human rights [...] addressing human rights violations wherever they occur.”

According to a press release, the State Department will use the website to invite civil society to participate in the process by submitting their “ideas, comments and analysis.” In addition, an inter-agency U.S. government team will travel throughout the U.S. to “engage directly with civil society including grassroots organizations, not-for-profits, and citizens groups.”