COTE D'IVOIRE: UN'S UNIVERSAL PERIODIC REVIEW OF

UNCLAS ABIDJAN 000114 STATE FOR IO, AND DRL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM UNHRC IV SUBJECT: COTE D'IVOIRE: UN'S UNIVERSAL PERIODIC REVIEW OF HUMAN RIGHTS REF: STATE 130829 ¶1. (U) SUMMARY: Per reftel, post surveyed the primary human rights organizations in Cote d'Ivoire to inquire about their participation in the United Nation's Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Human Rights process. Cote d'Ivoire will undergo review in December 2009. In order to prepare for the UPR, human rights actors and other civil society organizations have formed a coalition to prepare a report for submission. The Ministry of Justice and Human Rights and the National Human Rights Commission (CNDHCI) also intend to submit reports. END SUMMARY ¶2. (U) In preparation for Cote d'Ivoire's UPR in December 2009, around one dozen civil society organizations concerned with human rights came together in November 2008 and formed the Coalition for the Universal Periodic Review of Human Rights (CEPU-CI). The coalition has planned a series of informational seminars and UPR awareness campaigns across the country and has already started training civil society actors on how they can contribute to the process. ¶3. (U) CEPU-CI held its first training and information session January 28-29 and formed four working groups to synthesize reporting on civil and political rights; economic, social, and cultural rights; minority rights; and humanitarian rights. The two day seminar also discussed the report's main priorities. On February 11, CEPU-CI traveled to Man (west),San Pedro (southwest),and Yamoussoukro (center) in conjunction with the United Nations Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI) to organize human rights training workshops for 76 civil society representatives to solicit nationwide contributions to the UPR process. ¶4. (U) In addition to civil society, both the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights and the CNDHCI have also indicated their intention to submit reports for the UPR. Representatives from both institutions attended informational sessions on the UPR organized in Geneva in November 2008 and are well-informed about the process. NESBITT