)National Consultation Conference on the Third Session of the Universal Periodic Review(

Details

)National Consultation Conference on the Third Session of the Universal Periodic Review(

24-04-2019

On April 24, 2019, at the invitation of the German Friedrich Ebert Foundation, Tammuz Organization for Social Development participated in the national consultation conference on the third session of the UPR, which was held at the Baghdad Hotel in the presence of Mr. Tim Bochelat (Regional Director of the Jordan and Iraq Office). , As well as a large number of decision-makers, representatives of civil society organizations and activists.

Attendees represented:

Kamel Amin Hashim/ Director General of the Iraqi Facts Department and supervisor of the human rights file.

Ahmad al-Kinani/ a member of the House of Representatives and the Human Rights Committee

Fadel Al Gharawi / Member of the Commission on Human Rights

Dr. Mohammed Al-Obaidi / Director of Human Rights Department

Ali Omar / Advisor to the Parliamentary Committee for Human Rights

Representative of the Human Rights Office / UNAMI

Vian Sheikh Ali / Tammuz Organization for Social Development

Hanaa Adour / Iraqi Amal Association

The conference was opened by Mr. Tim Bochelat (Regional Director of the Jordan and Iraq Office) presenting an introduction to the Friedrich Ebert Foundation and its offices and activities. He explained that this conference will provide an opportunity for civil society organizations to network with stakeholders to report.

He also said that since 2017 he started visiting Baghdad with the presence of security companies to protect him, but this is the first time to visit Baghdad without the need for a security company, he also explained that Baghdad is a very beautiful city and this indicates that there is an improvement in the general situation of Iraq and thanked the audience for their presence.

National consultations with stakeholders are of great importance in the UPR process, a prerequisite for the completion of the national report through the resolution of the International Council on Human Rights.

The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Iraq Office implemented this conference to serve as a platform for the government to gather with all stakeholders to consult on the UPR mechanism and the national report.

The conference was organized according to specific objectives, most notably:

- Learn about the latest developments related to the national report

- Strengthen consultation and partnership between government, civil society institutions, the High Commission and parliament.

- To identify the most prominent recommendations of the stakeholders contained in the testimonies delivered to the Commission on Human Rights.

- To identify the most prominent observations and recommendations by civil society and the High Commission on the national report and the mechanism of government work in preparing the report.

- To work out a consultation mechanism for the pre-delivery of the national report to the Human Rights Council.

- Introduce a follow-up plan to strengthen national consultation in the preparation of the report.

The Conference had three consultative sessions:

Session 1 (Methodology of preparing the third national periodic report of the Universal Periodic Review of Human Rights in Iraq) / the leader of the meeting Yusuf Ibrahim

Mr. Mohammed Al-Obaidi, Mr. Ahmed Al-Kanani, Mr. Fadel Al-Gharawi and Ms. Hana Adour,

The second session was on (Statements of stakeholders from coalitions of civil society organizations) / the meeting was moderated by our colleague Vian Sheikh Ali

The third session was on "Follow-up procedures for the submission of the Universal Periodic Report on Human Rights ... What Next?" / Moderator, our colleague Ali Al-Tamimi

The lecturers (Ali Omar and Dr. Mohammed al-Obeidi) made interventions in this regard.

The statements made by stakeholders indicate that periodic review of the UPR provides a comprehensive platform for all stakeholders to identify and diagnose any violations of human rights and to find solutions to reduce such violations.

The meeting today is very important for all employees in this area to learn about the government's mechanism for reporting, and provides an opportunity for activists on the issues that are important in their reports and to find ways of communication during the review. The government's implementation of the recommendations will only be effective if it is transparent and accepts the observations of civil society. When confidence reaches this level between governments and civil society organizations, there will be a suitable ground for the development of the human rights situation in Iraq.

The conference was rich in the views of the participants and their experiences in writing reports and raising them and the most important obstacles encountered in their work. They also stressed the need for serious government agencies to engage and consult with organizations in reporting and taking recommendations made by the Committee.

It was also stressed that the writing of reports is a responsibility that must be human and professional, and that the human rights file is an integral file not limited to one party.