Submissions Sought On Human Rights

Members of the public and interested organisations are being asked to highlight issues of concern regarding Ireland's human rights record.

Ireland's Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs is preparing Ireland's National Report on its domestic human rights situation for the United Nations Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process.

All submissions received will be examined and considered in the compiling of Ireland's National Report, which must be submitted to the UN by Monday, 4 July.

The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is one of the major innovations of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council (established in 2006), whereby the domestic human rights records of all 192 UN Member States are reviewed every four years.

Some 48 countries are reviewed each year, starting in 2008, with 16 reviews taking place in each of the thrice-yearly UPR Working Group sessions. Ireland's first review under the UPR process will take place on 6 October.

A broad consultation process will be undertaken in preparation of the National Report.

Department is keen to give the widest possible range of organisations and members of the public the opportunity to make submissions on issues of importance in the area of human rights in Ireland.

To ensure that submissions can be taken into account in preparing the National Report, they should be submitted no later than Monday, 6 June.

For more information about the UPR process, guidance on how to prepare a submission and to make a submission, visit: upr.ie

(BMcC/GK)