Promoting and Protecting the Rights of Migrant Workers The Role of National Human Rights Institutions • Special Rapporteur on the right to education • Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health • Independent Expert in the field of cultural rights • Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences • Working Group on the issue of discrimination against women in law and in practice • Working Group on transnational corporations and other business enterprises.85 5. THE UNIVERSAL PERIODIC REVIEW The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a unique process which reviews the human rights records of all UN Member States. When the General Assembly established the Human Rights Council, the newly-formed Council was mandated to “undertake a universal periodic review, based on objective and reliable information, of the fulfilment by each State of its human rights obligations and commitments in a manner which ensures universality of coverage and equal treatment with respect to all States”.86 The aim of the UPR is to improve the human rights situation in all countries and address human rights violations wherever they occur. The UPR has six objectives: • the improvement of the human rights situation on the ground • the fulfilment of the State’s human rights obligations and commitments and assessment of positive developments and challenges faced by the State • the enhancement of the State’s capacity and of technical assistance, in consultation with, and with the consent of, the State concerned • the sharing of best practice among States and other stakeholders • support for cooperation in the promotion and protection of human rights • the encouragement of full cooperation and engagement with the Council, other human rights bodies and OHCHR.87 The review provides an opportunity for all States to highlight the steps they have taken to improve the human rights situations in their countries and to overcome challenges to the enjoyment of human rights. Between late 2007 and 2011, the Human Rights Council reviewed the human rights performance of all the then 192 Member States. In 2010 and 2011, towards the end of the first cycle of State reviews, the Council reviewed the UPR process and, with minor amendments, decided to commence the second cycle in June 2012.88 All 193 Member States89 will have their human rights compliance reviewed under the UPR between June 2012 and the end of 2016. The second and subsequent cycles will be four and a half years in length.90 Information about the contribution and participation opportunities for NHRIs at each stage of the UPR process is included in Chapter 11. 85 Information about the mandates of these special procedures is available at: www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/chr/special/index.htm. 86 General Assembly Resolution 60/251; para. 5(e). 87 HRC Resolution 5/1; part I.B.2; para. 4. 88 HRC Resolution 16/21, as supplemented by HRC Resolution 17/119. 89 On 14 July 2011, the General Assembly admitted the Republic of South Sudan as the 193rd Member State of the UN. 90 The calendar for the 2012–2016 UPR cycle can be found at: www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/UPR/Pages/BasicFacts.aspx. 36 | Chapter 3: Other UN instruments and mechanisms relevant to the rights of migrant workers