Chapter four
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4. Implementation phase Arguably, this can be the most important phase of the entire review as this is when laws and policies can begin to change. However, civil society must consistently monitor the Government’s progress on and advocate for the implementation of the accepted recommendations over the next four and a half years to ensure accountability.
Suggestions for advocacy during this phase include:
Holding your Government accountable
• Continuing to work with other members of civil society to share information, prepare advocacy strategies and document any progress on implementation
Additional important aspects of UPR monitoring and advocacy include:
• Advocating for your Government to conduct wide consultations with civil society on how to implement the UPR recommendations • Advocating for your Government to table its UPR Outcome Report in Parliament so that there is Parliamentary oversight and scrutiny of how the UPR recommendations are going to be implemented
• H olding your Government accountable for their UPR statements when other countries are being reviewed to ensure that your government participates in UPR in a meaningful way and helps rights-holders in other countries. Consider the following questions:
> Have they simply praised the country? > Have they only asked a question or made a comment? > Have they made a redundant recommendation?
UN Photo/Eric Kanalstein
• Advocating for your Government to develop a UPR implementation action plan and a mid-term report on its progress
> Have they approached an issue in an appropriate manner?
• Translating the UPR Outcome Report and your Government’s responses into local languages so that organizations working on a more local level are better equipped to engage in advocacy in support of the national implementation of UPR recommendations
> Have they based the recommendation(s) on the
• Strategizing how to deal with inappropriate UPR recommendations that your Government has accepted or important UPR recommendations that your Government has rejected
> Have they reflected issues that were raised by civil society in
• Celebrating and publicizing achievements that will contribute to the implementation of the recommendations
recommendations of independent experts (e.g. human rights treaty-bodies or Special Rapporteurs)?
> Have they made a sufficiently specific recommendation?
the State under Review? Also, it is ideal to look at the substance of what your Government is recommending to other countries. If your country has made recommendations in particular areas to another country, it should also be taking further action domestically in those areas
• Beginning preparing for the next UPR cycyle International Women’s Day in Liberia protest gender-based violence at the Supreme Court. Monrovia, Liberia.
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