Promoting and Protecting the Human Rights of Women and Girls A Manual for National Human Rights Institutions 3.1.1. Universal periodic review The Human Rights Council supervises the universal periodic review (UPR), a procedure through which it periodically reviews the fulfilment by United Nations Member States of their human rights obligations and commitments. As discussed further in Chapter 8, the UPR is an important process through which NHRIs can raise human rights concerns relevant to women and girls. In addition to the UPR, the Council has various other monitoring and compliance mechanisms, including the special procedures, the complaint procedure and the Advisory Committee. 3.1.2. Special procedures “Special procedures” are mechanisms working under the Human Rights Council to address either specific country situations (country mandates) or thematic issues in all parts of the world (thematic mandates). Mandate holders act as impartial experts. They can be individuals (“Special Rapporteur”, “Special Representative of the Secretary-General” or “Independent Expert”) or working groups comprised of up to five representatives. The working methods are specific to the mandate but usually involve studying the human rights situation, receiving information from a range of sources and conducting country visits. Many mandate holders are able to receive information on specific allegations of human rights violations, including from NHRIs, and to send urgent appeals or letters to Governments asking for clarification or resolution of a particular problem. Country mandates will often consider issues of relevance to women and girls. The reports of the country rapporteurs often include a special section dealing with issues of particular concern to women and girls. A considerable number of thematic mandates have been established that are of direct relevance to women’s human rights (see section 3.4). Some thematic mandates are specific to women’s human rights issues – for example, the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequence and the Working Group on the issue of discrimination against women in law and in practice – while others have specifically incorporated women’s human rights as an element of their mandate; for example, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders. In addition, a number of special procedures consider the rights of women and girls within their broader mandates; for example, the Special Rapporteur on the right to food. Special Rapporteur on violence against women and the Chair of CEDAW address the fifty-seventh session of the Commission on the Status of Women. UN Photo by Rick Bajornas. 26