Well Done the Netherlands

The Netherlands became one of the first countries to pass the United Nations Human Rights Council examination. The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is meant to be an interactive and cooperative dialogue between the UN and States. The process will examine the human rights record of all 192 States; this is due to be completed by 2011.
The reason for the UPR was due to the criticisms of the Human Rights Council's predecessor, the Commission on Human Rights. The latter was accused of allowing perpetual rights violators a free pass, this essentially allowed them immunity from any sort of criticism. This was especially so if the country was powerful, or if the country itself was friends (normally economic, normally involving oil) to a powerful country.

The 47 council members receive a report from the government and input from relevant stakeholders, such as NGO's or UN bodies. There is then a three hour session in which government officials are quizzed on this input. Approximately three months later a report is published on the council’s findings.
It seems that the Netherlands have done well. There were thirty recommendations for improvement issued by the council, most of which have been accepted by the Netherlands. However Egypt’s recommendation has been rejected. This called on the Netherlands to consider introducing the death penalty. Fortunately the Netherlands are constitutionally barred from introducing such a grave violation of individual’s human rights.

It is unlikely that Bahrain, the first nation to step before council members in this UPR process will fair so well. A country with a majority Shi'ite Muslim, Bahrain is ruled by a Sunni royal family and has been for more than two centuries, as such Shi'ites often claim discrimination. A report form two NGO's, the Bahrain Center for Human Rights and the Bahrain Human Rights Society, cites problems including torture; discrimination against women, migrant workers and Shi'as; and restrictions on freedom of association, including limits on the right of human rights NGOs to operate freely (according to the Bahrain Center for Human Rights they were officially shut down in 2004.) Other accusations included a lack of dependence in the judiciary and the trafficking of workers. On top of this the NGO's were banned from leaving the country, by the government, in order to attend the meeting.

These initial sessions are of such importance if the newly established Human Rights Council body is going to have any impact on human rights across the globe. The world should wait to see how they cope with this unprecedented mechanism.