Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar will be leading the Pakistan delegation to the 14th Session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva on October 30. The UPR is a four-year cyclical mechanism of the Human Rights Council, which is based on equal treatment for all countries. “The mechanism involves discussions and review of the steps taken and efforts made by all 192 member states of the United Nations, in order to promote and protect human rights in their respective countries,” said a Foreign Office statement here on Monday. “Under this mechanism, all UN Member States are afforded an opportunity to present their national reports once every four years (48 member states each year),” it said. During the first cycle of the UPR (2008-2011), Pakistan’s National Report was presented in 2008 by Late Fozia Wahab. The second cycle of the UPR commenced in May 2012 during which a number of countries including India, UK, Brazil, Indonesia and South Africa have already presented their Human Rights reports. In October 2012, countries including Japan, Sri Lanka, Switzerland and Pakistan will present their National Reports. “During the presentation of its Second National Report under the UPR, the government of Pakistan will underscore the significant strides made by the democratic government for the promotion and protection of human rights in the country since 2008,” the statement said.
