The Human Rights Council in Africa: the impact of the Universal Periodic Review

Cover -- Half Title -- Series -- Title -- Copyright -- Contents -- 1 The establishment and operation of the Universal Periodic Review -- Contextual background -- Background to the HRC and the UPR mechanism -- The purposes of the HRC -- Fundamental principles of the UPR -- The modus operandi of the UPR -- Is the UPR an effective human rights mechanism? -- Membership in the UN HRC and compliance -- 2 Theoretical understanding of the UPR: a case for acculturation? -- Introduction -- Theoretical framework -- Concluding remarks -- 3 Compliance, implementation and effectiveness: clarifying the basis for assessing state UPR engagement -- Compliance, implementation and effectiveness -- 4 Nigeria's engagement with the HRC's UPR: potential for acculturation or risk of regression? -- Introductory background -- Commitment to the national consultation process and the quality of Nigeria's UPR delegation -- Nigeria as a reviewer -- Nigeria as a state under review -- Implementation of Nigeria's UPR recommendations -- The 'spiral' effect of the fight against Boko Haram on Nigeria's UPR engagement -- Concluding remarks -- 5 Kenya and the UPR: the impact of effective NGO engagement -- Introductory background -- Commitment to the pre-review process and the quality of Kenya's UPR delegation -- Kenya as a reviewer and as a state under review -- The role of the KNCHR and domestic NGOs in Kenya's UPR process -- NGO operational environment in Kenya -- Kenya's implementation of UPR recommendations -- Concluding Remarks -- 6 NGOs versus state recommendations and the relationship between the UPR and other human rights mechanisms: the case of Kenya -- Introduction -- The relationship between NGOs and state recommendations to Kenya -- Amplification and synergy between the UPR and other national and international mechanisms -- Concluding remarks.

"This book examines the engagement of African states with the United Nations Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review Mechanism (UPR). This system is known for its pacific and non-confrontational approach to monitoring state human rights implementation. Coming at the end of the first two cycles of the UPR, the work offers a detailed analysis into the effectiveness of African states' engagement and its potential impact. It develops a framework which comprehensively evaluates aspects of states' UPR engagement such as the pre-review national consultation process and implementation of UPR recommendations which, until recently, have received little attention. The book considers the potential for acculturation in engagement with the UPR and unpacks the impact of regionalism, cultural relativism, rights ritualism and civil society. The work provides a useful guide for policymakers and international human rights law practitioners as well as a valuable resource for international legal and international relations academics and researchers"--