United Nations Universal Periodic Review: focus on trade union rights
In recent years ICTUR has placed renewed emphasis on engagement with the UN, seeking to make effective use of the Universal Periodic Review process and also to engage on an ongoing basis with the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Assembly and Association, in order to ensure that both of these mechanisms are provided with information about serious trade union rights problems occurring in key countries around the world.
The UPR process operates on a 3-year cycle, under which all UN member states are called upon to report to, and to appear before, the UN’s Human Rights Council, and to answer questions on their human rights performance. The reports submitted by ICTUR concern organising rights, the right to strike, arrests, raids of union premises, anti-union harassment, and serious and ongoing issues of anti-union violence and impunity.
ICTUR has partnered with local and international trade unions to co-sign submissions, including with ICTUR-affiliated organisations, such as the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions and Japan's Zenroren, and with the ITUC, and also consulting informally with unions prior to submitting compaints. ICTUR’s experience has been positive, resulting in the inclusion within the process of information cocnerning serious trade union rights problems, which in several cases would likely not have been covered by the Review.
More information about the UN UPR process.
Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Assembly and Association
Engagement with the UN Special Rapporteur is also proceeding, with ICTUR now routinely copying its 'intervention' letters to the Rapporteur, and sharing with the Rapporteur its full submissions to the UPR process, and other relevant documents, reports and information.
More information about the work of the UN Special Rapporteur. |
