GENEVA - The human rights record of 14 States is scheduled to be examined during the 53rd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group to be held in Geneva from 2 to 13 November 2026.
The UPR is a unique mechanism of the Human Rights Council that calls for each UN Member State to undergo a human rights peer review every four-and-a-half years. The UPR Working Group comprises the entire membership of the 47-member Human Rights Council and other UN Member or Observer States wishing to take part.
The States scheduled to be reviewed by the UPR Working Group during this 53rd session are, in order of scheduled review: Suriname, Greece, Samoa, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Hungary, Papua New Guinea, Tajikistan, the United Republic of Tanzania, Antigua and Barbuda, Eswatini, Trinidad and Tobago, Thailand, Ireland and the United States of America. This will be the fourth time these 14 States are scheduled to undergo a UPR review.
The fourth UPR of the United States of America was initially scheduled for 7 November 2025 during the 50th session of the UPR Working Group. Following the absence of the State under review, the Human Rights Council decided to reschedule the review to the upcoming 53rd session of the UPR Working Group. The review session is scheduled for 14:30 - 18:00 on 10 November 2026.
Delegations representing the 14 countries are expected to present the efforts they have made to fulfil their human rights obligations and commitments, particularly since their last UPR, assessing positive developments and identifying challenges.
During the session, an interactive dialogue between the country under review and the UPR Working Group and observer States is scheduled, for which a maximum of three-and-a-half hours is allotted. The adoptions of the report of all countries, containing the recommendations received during their respective interactive dialogue, will take place on Friday 13 November 2026, starting at 14:30.
The documents on which these reviews are based are:
- National Report: information prepared by the State concerned, which can also be presented orally during the review
- UN Compilation: information contained in the reports of relevant UN mechanisms and entities to be compiled in a report by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
- Summary of Stakeholders: information provided by other relevant stakeholders including non-governmental organizations, national human rights institutions, human rights defenders, academic institutions, research institutes, and regional organizations, and summarized in a report by the OHCHR
The review for each State is facilitated by groups of three Human Rights Council States members from different regional groups, also called troikas, who act as rapporteurs. The troikas were selected through a drawing of lots on 8 January 2026 during an organizational meeting of the Human Rights Council.
The final review outcomes of the 53rd session of the UPR Working Group will be adopted by the plenary of the Human Rights Council at its 64th regular session taking place in February-April 2027 when, in addition to the State reviewed and other States, UN resident coordinators, country directors of UN entities, national human rights institutions and non-governmental organizations, take the floor.
Objectives of the Universal Periodic Review
As stipulated in Council resolution 5/1, the objectives of the Universal Periodic Review are 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 technical assistance, in consultation with, and with the consent of, the State concerned; the sharing of best practices among States and other stakeholders; support for cooperation in the promotion and protection of human rights; and the encouragement of full cooperation and engagement with the Human Rights Council, other human rights bodies and OHCHR.
The implementation of UPR recommendations aims to strengthen national human rights protection systems. In addressing the root causes of human rights violations, the implementation of recommendations can have a preventive effect.
OHCHR supports States in the follow-up and implementation of UPR outcomes. Additional information on the UPR mechanism can be found here.
Timetable
Meetings of the 53rd session of the UPR Working Group are scheduled to take place in the Assembly Hall (A Building, third floor) at the Palais des Nations in Geneva and will be webcast live in the six official languages of the UN (English, French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian, and Spanish).
Monday, 2 November 2025
Tuesday, 3 November 2025
- 09:00 - 12:30 - Review of Samoa
- 14:30 - 18:00 - Review of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Wednesday, 4 November 2025
- 09:00 - 12:30 - Review of Hungary
- 14:30 - 18:00 - Review of Papua New Guinea
Thursday, 5 November 2025
- 09:00 - 12:30 - Review of Tajikistan
- 14:30 - 18:00 - Review of the United Republic of Tanzania
Friday, 6 November 2025
- 09:00 - 12:30 - Review of Antigua and Barbuda
- 14:30 - 18:00 - Review of Eswatini
Monday, 9 November 2026
- 09:00 - 12:30 - Review of Trinidad and Tobago
- 14:30 - 18:00 - Review of Thailand
Tuesday, 10 November 2026
- 09:00 - 12:30 - Review of Ireland
- 14:30 - 18:00 - Review of the United States of America
- 14:30 - 18:00 - Scheduled adoption of the reports on Suriname, Greece, Samoa, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Hungary, Papua New Guinea, Tajikistan, the United Republic of Tanzania, Antigua and Barbuda, Eswatini, Trinidad and Tobago, Thailand, Ireland and the United States of America.
