UNIVERSAL PERIODIC REVIEW OF THE BOLIVARIAN REPUBLIC OF VENEZUELA: HUMAN RIGHTS FOR A GOOD LIFE I. METHODOLOGY AND CONSULTATION PROCESS 1. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV), in order to prepare the Universal Periodic Review, created an inter-institutional working group composed of the five branches of Government, under the coordination of the Ministry of People’s Power for Foreign Affairs, to conduct an internal dialogue and a timely and social consultation process. The outcomes of this process were outlined in a document underpinned by the Simon Bolívar National Project 2007 – 2013 1 which, first, defines the strategic vision of the nation’s development; second, is based on the guarantee of human rights of every person, inspired by the doctrine of the Liberator Simón Bolívar; and, third, strengthens a new inclusive and participatory social structure. 2. For the Venezuelan State and society, to responsibly participate in the process of designing, implementing and evaluating public policies at the different levels of governance is an active principle, based on public policies for social inclusion. Thus, the intervention in this mechanism developed by the UN Human Rights Council, has led to its fulfillment, by allowing people 2 to give their opinion on the policies’ bases from a human rights approach. 3. Training meetings, encounters and workshops were the main activities undertaken with the communal power, organizations and social movements, along with the cooperation from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and other bodies and entities that compose the Government. II. CONTEXT 4. The BRV is located in the north of South America; it has a population of 28,384,132 million people and a territorial extent of 916, 455 Km 2. It is a secular State and its official language is Spanish, being the indigenous languages used officially by indigenous peoples. 5. Venezuela is also characterized by its biological diversity, including ecosystems such as beaches, mountains, flat lands, desserts and jungles. Besides being a Caribbean State, it is also an Andean, Atlantic and Amazonian State. It is located among the six countries of greater natural diversity of the American continent. 6. Venezuela is considered in the world as a big energy player and as the country with the largest hydrocarbons reserve. It has large fresh water bodies, gas fields and other minerals. 7. Since the constitution-making process in 1999, Venezuela is experiencing a democratic and peaceful revolution towards the building of socialism. The State took over the commitment for the social, cultural, economic and political development enshrined in the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (CBRV), in accordance with the principles of equality and full respect of human rights.
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