2nd Civil Society Forum on Follow-up to the UPR Recommendations inNortheast Asia
Date:31 July – August 2 2014
Location:E-room Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
TheKorea Center for United Nations Human Rights Policy (KOCUN) organized the 2ndCivil Society Forum on Follow-up to the UPR Recommendations in Northeast Asiaon 31 July – 2 August 2014, with financial support from the Voluntary Fund forfinancial and technical assistance in the implementation of the UniversalPeriodic Review. 20 civil society organizations from China/Hong Kong, Japan,Mongolia, and the Republic of Korea, etc., British Embassy, Australian Embassy,National Human Rights Commission of Mongolia, National Human Rights Commissionof Korea, and Ministry of Justice of Korea gathered to share good practices inthe implementation of UPR recommendations, discuss strategies to ensure theimplementation of UPR recommendations, and regional cooperation network ofcivil society organizations.
ActionPlan
Toensure the effective implementation of the recommendations from theInternational Human Rights mechanisms, including the UPR (Universal PeriodicReview), the following action points have been identified to be taken at thenational, regional and international level.
} National Level
1. Releasing joint statements on UPR implementation,human rights defenders, etc.
2. Start with finding Parliamentarians who are interestedin Human Rights issues
3. Actively utilizing Media and SNS
4. Lobbying foreign embassies and permanent mission inGeneva in preparation of UPR
5. Organizing parliamentarian group in cooperation withCSO
6. Provide training and other opportunities to share theinformation among the CSOs and other stakeholders to raise awareness on theimportance of international human rights mechanisms including the UPR
7. Guarantee independence of human rights commission
8. Submit midterm report by CSO to the council
9. Reform the selection process of commissioner to ensuretransparency of NHRI
10. Establish a NHRI with engagement of civil society
11. Monitor the status of UPR recommendationimplementation regularly, including asking indicative questions on the progressof implementation, requesting concrete benchmarks, timelines which will helpCSOs to have meaningful and substantive consultation with the government.
12. Study, analyze and cluster recommendations ofinternational human rights mechanism thematically, to use as a basis for thegovernment to formulate and adopt a National Action Plan (NAP) whichincorporates such recommendations.
} Regional Level
1. Designate national focal point CSOs and a mainsecretariat for NEA Civil Society Network to follow up to our progress madeafter the forum
2. Create an online platform for cooperation including adatabase on substantive human rights issues as well as human rights focalpoints at embassies in which joint action took place, for sharing informationon specific issues among NEA CSO.
3. Joint advocacy by CSOs on thematic issues of commonconcern (e.g. widening of democratic space, human rights defenders,non-discrimination, accountability, economic social and cultural rights,migrants and refugees, etc.), including sending email/letters to embassies tofollow-up on recommendations they made
4. Designate NEA CSO Joint advocacy to address commonhuman rights issues
5. Hold a regional meeting on regular basis
6. Work on comprehensive UPR follow up matrix at least oncommon issues by country including obstacles to overcome at the national leveland good practices from other countries.
} International Level
1. Mutual sharing of information between CSOs
2. Facilitate increased interaction between CSOs in NEAwith international human rights mechanisms
2nd Civil Society Forum on Follow-up to the UPR Recommendations inNortheast Asia
Date:31 July – August 2 2014
Location:E-room Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
TheKorea Center for United Nations Human Rights Policy (KOCUN) organized the 2ndCivil Society Forum on Follow-up to the UPR Recommendations in Northeast Asiaon 31 July – 2 August 2014, with financial support from the Voluntary Fund forfinancial and technical assistance in the implementation of the UniversalPeriodic Review. 20 civil society organizations from China/Hong Kong, Japan,Mongolia, and the Republic of Korea, etc., British Embassy, Australian Embassy,National Human Rights Commission of Mongolia, National Human Rights Commissionof Korea, and Ministry of Justice of Korea gathered to share good practices inthe implementation of UPR recommendations, discuss strategies to ensure theimplementation of UPR recommendations, and regional cooperation network ofcivil society organizations.
ActionPlan
Toensure the effective implementation of the recommendations from theInternational Human Rights mechanisms, including the UPR (Universal PeriodicReview), the following action points have been identified to be taken at thenational, regional and international level.
} National Level
1. Releasing joint statements on UPR implementation,human rights defenders, etc.
2. Start with finding Parliamentarians who are interestedin Human Rights issues
3. Actively utilizing Media and SNS
4. Lobbying foreign embassies and permanent mission inGeneva in preparation of UPR
5. Organizing parliamentarian group in cooperation withCSO
6. Provide training and other opportunities to share theinformation among the CSOs and other stakeholders to raise awareness on theimportance of international human rights mechanisms including the UPR
7. Guarantee independence of human rights commission
8. Submit midterm report by CSO to the council
9. Reform the selection process of commissioner to ensuretransparency of NHRI
10. Establish a NHRI with engagement of civil society
11. Monitor the status of UPR recommendationimplementation regularly, including asking indicative questions on the progressof implementation, requesting concrete benchmarks, timelines which will helpCSOs to have meaningful and substantive consultation with the government.
12. Study, analyze and cluster recommendations ofinternational human rights mechanism thematically, to use as a basis for thegovernment to formulate and adopt a National Action Plan (NAP) whichincorporates such recommendations.
} Regional Level
1. Designate national focal point CSOs and a mainsecretariat for NEA Civil Society Network to follow up to our progress madeafter the forum
2. Create an online platform for cooperation including adatabase on substantive human rights issues as well as human rights focalpoints at embassies in which joint action took place, for sharing informationon specific issues among NEA CSO.
3. Joint advocacy by CSOs on thematic issues of commonconcern (e.g. widening of democratic space, human rights defenders,non-discrimination, accountability, economic social and cultural rights,migrants and refugees, etc.), including sending email/letters to embassies tofollow-up on recommendations they made
4. Designate NEA CSO Joint advocacy to address commonhuman rights issues
5. Hold a regional meeting on regular basis
6. Work on comprehensive UPR follow up matrix at least oncommon issues by country including obstacles to overcome at the national leveland good practices from other countries.
} International Level
1. Mutual sharing of information between CSOs
2. Facilitate increased interaction between CSOs in NEAwith international human rights mechanisms