Fortify accountability fulcrums like UPR to deliver on gender equality and right to health
SHOBHA SHUKLA - CNS
Accountability is essential if we want governments to walk the talk on global promises and commitments and translate them into local realities
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Accountability is critical when it comes to ensuring that promises made by the governments translate into ground realities "where no one is left behind." Without robust accountability mechanisms, we risk failing on goals and targets, such as those enshrined in Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) or other legally binding treaties (like CEDAW), agreements, declarations and other global, regional or national commitments.
"Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is one of the accountability mechanisms to hold UN member States accountable for human rights obligations and commitments," said Dr Virginia Kamowa, Regional and Country Engagement Manager, Global Center for Health Diplomacy and Inclusion (CeHDI) while giving her keynote talk at the 1st SHE & Rights session of 2026.
193 sovereign nations that are part of the UN are referred to as UN Member States.
"All 193 UN member States are reviewed once every four years. So far, three such reporting cycles have taken place and fourth cycle is currently underway. First such review of all UN member States took place between 2008-2011, then 2012-2016, followed by a third one during 2017-2022, and now the fourth cycle is going on currently 2022-2027," added Dr Kamowa.
"National report is written by governments for their respective country but also there are UN bodies within the country that do their own compilation. Stakeholders like civil society and human rights institutions also compile their summary report and during the process other States ask questions and make recommendations to the country that is being reviewed. The reviewed country can accept (or reject) those recommendations and then the follow-up happens in the next cycle of UPR review," explained Kamowa in SHE & Rights session. SHE & Rights was together organised by Global Center for Health Diplomacy and Inclusion (CeHDI), Women Deliver Conference 2026, International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women (ARROW), Women's Global Network for Reproductive Rights (WGNRR), Asia Pacific Media Alliance for Health, Gender and Development Justice (APCAT Media) and CNS.
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