GENEVA, Switzerland – I had the privilege of representing ICJ Kenya at the UPR Info Pre-sessions. The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a unique human rights mechanism established by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to assess the human rights records of all UN member states. It provides an opportunity for states to be peer reviewed, examined and make commitments on their entire human rights record every five years. Thus, the Pre-sessions held by UPR Info are critical in this process because they give civil society organizations a direct platform to present the concerns and issues faced by citizens of the state under review.
The Role of ICJ Kenya at the UPR Pre-sessions
These sessions are essential advocacy tool for civil society because they allow organizations like ICJ Kenya to voice critical human rights issues that may not always be on the radar of state representatives. During the Pre- sessions, civil society organisations engage with permanent missions, human rights experts, and other stakeholders, and provide valuable insights into the situation on the ground.
During the Pre-sessions, ICJ Kenya had the opportunity to directly present existing human rights concerns and make recommendations for the upcoming UPR review of Kenya in April. This event was particularly significant as it gave us the chance to highlight issues that directly affect our community but might not be sufficiently represented in the official UPR submissions. Whether it’s advocacy for marginalized groups, freedom of expression, abolition of death penalty, these concerns amongst others
Advocacy with Permanent Missions in Geneva
Beyond the Pre-sessions, we engaged in strategic advocacy with permanent missions at the Palais des Nations, the UN’s headquarters in Geneva. It is important to mention that these missions play a crucial role in the UPR process as they facilitate the dialogue between civil society and the state under review. Through face-to-face meetings, information sharing, and exchanges of views, we were able to ensure that the human rights situation in Kenya is accurately reflected in the UPR process. These exchanges allowed us to not only share our assessments of the human rights situation in Kenya, but also to discuss possible solutions with representatives of Kenya and other Member States.
Ensuring Kenya human rights concerns are reflected in UN Members state recommendations to Kenya
The ultimate goal of the Pre-sessions and subsequent advocacy activities was to ensure that the recommendations made by member states to Kenya during the UPR process reflect the lived realities of people in Kenya. Moreover, the direct engagement with state representatives and other stakeholders in Geneva gave the reviewing UN Member states an opportunity to not only hear the human rights challenges from the government of Kenya reports but also from the right holders in Kenya a bracket that ICJ Kenya represents. Thus, the multi-stakeholder dialogue exercises increased the chances that the final UPR recommendations to the government of Kenya will be both relevant and actionable.
The Impact of UPR Info Pre-sessions on ICJ Kenya’s Advocacy
Participating in the UPR Info Pre-sessions and accompanying advocacy activities was an enriching experience that reinforced the importance of ICJ Kenya and civil society in the international human rights framework. By actively participating in these discussions, we ensured that our issues were included in the broader international conversation and that recommendations aimed at improving human rights were as robust as possible.
For ICJ Kenya, the mission to Geneva was more than just a diplomatic engagement; it was an opportunity to empower those whose voices often go unheard. It was a reminder that human rights advocacy does not end with presenting concerns but continues through continuous dialogue, action, and follow-up. This process is vital for strengthening human rights protection at the national and global levels.
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The writer is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya and a Programme Manager at ICJ Kenya.