Colombia will engage in the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process in May 2018. The UPR is a state-driven human rights review process at the UN Human Rights Council. This mechanism is used to assess the human rights records of all UN Member States. During the UPR process, other UN Member States can make recommendations to the state under review. ABColombia has written a briefing with suggested recommendations that could be made to the Colombian government by the Republic of Ireland.  

Ireland made some important recommendations to Colombia during its last review process in 2013. These covered issues such as women and conflict-related violence, human rights defenders and extrajudicial killings.

ABColombia welcomes the opening of an Irish Embassy in Bogota which increases the opportunity for greater involvement by the Irish government in the Colombian peace process. Ireland is in a unique position, having lessons that it can share from its own process (both good and bad), this background enables Ireland to act both as honest broker and at the same time to use its legitimacy and diplomatic goodwill to encourage the Colombian government, when necessary, to comply with its commitments on peace building and protecting HRD.

This briefing is designed to provide Ireland with recommendations, drawn from ABColombia members following discussions with our partners in Colombia, that can be made to the Colombian government during the UPR process.

Please click on the button below to download the full briefing. 

Read the UPR Briefing and Recommendations ABColombia, alongside other UK organisations, made to the United Kingdom.