From 11-13 January 2015, the Human Rights Section of the African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), in collaboration with the National Commission for Human Rights and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), organized a workshop, held in Khartoum, in preparation for the Government of Sudan’s next submission to the Universal Periodic Review (UPR). The UPR is a unique mechanism which reviews the human rights situation of all United Nations’ member states and invites relevant stakeholders to participate in the process. 

The workshop was attended by various human rights bodies, commissioners and human rights activists, including some members of the civil society organizations, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and government representatives. The objective was to discuss and assess the country’s existing mechanisms as well as those being developed to protect and promote human rights.

Other topics covered included the role of the media in documenting, opinion forming and awareness-raising in terms of human rights issues as well as its contribution in community mobilization in to uphold human rights.

Recommendations from the 2011 UPR process calling for enhancement and active implementation of human rights of women, children and the disabled were raised and discussed by the participants.

Additionally, detailed reports from NGOs, UN mechanisms and the Government of Sudan on the UPR were also presented, discussed, analyzed and evaluated.

Addressing the opening session of the workshop, Mr. Christian Mikala, Deputy Director of UNAMID Human Rights Section, reiterated the importance of continuously engaging on human rights with all state apparatus and for Sudan to actively be part of the UPR process as it has been in 2011.

“Promotion and protection of human rights is the basis of a democratic society and is the cornerstone of building sustainable peace in conflict affected countries as well as in countries coming out of conflicts,” said Mr. Mikala.

The Acting Head of the National Human Rights Commission, Mr. Joseph Suleiman, also made some remarks expressing his appreciation for the support extended by Sudanese human rights experts to such workshops and training initiatives and urged participants to contribute continuously to a joint effort with the National Human Rights Commission in order to bring together the government and civil society organizations before, during, and after the review for a collaborative approach to the UPR process.

The second cycle of the UPR for Sudan is scheduled to take place in April 2016 when the country will present its report to Human Rights Council.

On 11 January 2015, the workshop is launched in Khartoum. Photo by Mohamad Mahady, UNAMID.