The Human Rights Council: The Impact of the Universal Periodic Review in Africa (Routledge Research in Human Rights Law)

✍ Scribed by Damian Etone

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2020
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 233
• Edition: 1
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

This book examines the engagement of African states with the United Nations Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism. This human rights mechanism is known for its pacific and non-confrontational approach to monitoring state human rights implementation. Coming at the end of the first three cycles of the UPR, the work offers a detailed analysis of the effectiveness of African states’ engagement and its potential impact. It develops a framework which comprehensively evaluates aspects of states’ UPR engagement, such as the pre-review national consultation process and implementation of UPR recommendations which, until recently, have received little attention. The book considers the potential for acculturation in engagement with the UPR and unpacks the impact of politics, regionalism, cultural relativism, rights ritualism and civil society.

The work provides a useful guide for policymakers and international human rights law practitioners, as well as a valuable resource for international legal and international relations academics and researchers.

✦ Table of Contents

Cover
Half Title
Series
Title
Copyright
Contents
1 The establishment and operation of the Universal Periodic Review
Contextual background
Background to the HRC and the UPR mechanism
The purposes of the HRC
Fundamental principles of the UPR
The modus operandi of the UPR
Is the UPR an effective human rights mechanism?
Membership in the UN HRC and compliance
2 Theoretical understanding of the UPR: a case for acculturation?
Introduction
Theoretical framework
Concluding remarks
3 Compliance, implementation and effectiveness: clarifying the basis for assessing state UPR engagement
Compliance, implementation and effectiveness
4 Nigeria’s engagement with the HRC’s UPR: potential for acculturation or risk of regression?
Introductory background
Commitment to the national consultation process and the quality of Nigeria’s UPR delegation
Nigeria as a reviewer
Nigeria as a state under review
Implementation of Nigeria’s UPR recommendations
The ‘spiral’ effect of the fight against Boko Haram on Nigeria’s UPR engagement
Concluding remarks
5 Kenya and the UPR: the impact of effective NGO engagement
Introductory background
Commitment to the pre-review process and the quality of Kenya’s UPR delegation
Kenya as a reviewer and as a state under review
The role of the KNCHR and domestic NGOs in Kenya’s UPR process
NGO operational environment in Kenya
Kenya’s implementation of UPR recommendations
Concluding Remarks
6 NGOs versus state recommendations and the relationship between the UPR and other human rights mechanisms: the case of Kenya
Introduction
The relationship between NGOs and state recommendations to Kenya
Amplification and synergy between the UPR and other national and international mechanisms
Concluding remarks
7 The effectiveness of South Africa’s engagement with the UPR: potential for ritualism?
Background to South Africa’s UPR
Commitment to the national consultation process and the quality of South Africa’s UPR delegation
South Africa as a reviewer and as a state under review
South Africa’s implementation of UPR recommendations
Concluding remarks
8 The Gambia and the UPR: rhetoric, inaction and the effect of regime change
Background to The Gambia’s UPR
The Gambia’s UPR national consultation and the quality of its UPR delegation
The Gambia as a state under review
The Gambia’s progress on implementation of UPR recommendations: rhetoric versus action
Concluding remarks
Index