UAE to present report to UN Human Rights Council in Geneva

Each of the 192 member countries will be given 70 minutes to present their reports, while member states will have the chance to raise questions about the reports,

The UAE will present its report at the UN Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in Geneva from 2.30pm to 6pm (5.30pm to 9pm UAE time) tomorrow.

Each country will be given 70 minutes to present their report, which is already uploaded on the UN's website. Member countries will raise questions and discuss the report for another 140 minutes.

A foreign ministry source said: "We will highlight our main progress between 2008 and 2012 in education, health and international conventions. The UN review is for each country to show what we have done in the last four years. This is done in a transparent way."

On Thursday, member countries reviewing the UAE's record will hand over an 'outcome report' which will outline the recommendations and suggestions to be implemented before the next review. The Emirates is among 14 countries being reviewed in the 15th session of the UN Human Rights Council's UPR from January 21 to February 1. Another set of 14 countries will be reviewed in April.

The UPR is a new and unique mechanism of the Human Rights Council aimed at improving the human rights situation on the ground of each of the UN member states.

Under this, the rights situation of all member states is reviewed every 4 to 5 years. About 42 States are reviewed each year during three working group sessions dedicated to 14 States each.

The Emirati delegation - comprising of ministerial and local representatives, members of the standing committee of UPR appointed by the Cabinet and civil society representatives - is expected to return to the UAE on February 1.