Singapore Universal Periodic Review

Singapore underwent its first Universal Periodic Review (UPR) on 6 May 2011. The UPR is the only universal mechanism, under the Human Rights Council, that reviews the human rights situation in all 192 UN Member States once every four years. The UPR and the Human Rights Council(HRC) were created through the UN General Assembly on 15 March 2006 by resolution 60/251. Since the first UPR session was held at the UN Office in Geneva in April 2008, all 192 UN Member States have been reviewed. The second cycle of the UPR will take place from 2012-2016.

Singapore's UPR was conducted based on three documents:

A National Report submitted by the Singapore Government on the human rights situation in Singapore. It explains the policies and actions that the Government has adopted to improve the human rights situation in Singapore as well as the challenges and constraints faced.
National Report
A report compiled by the OHCHR of information contained in the reports of independent human rights experts and groups (also known as Special Procedures), human rights treaty bodies and other UN entities on Singapore.
OHCHR report
A report summarising relevant stakeholders' submissions (including local and international civil society organisations) on Singapore, prepared by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
Stakeholders' report

The Actual Review

During the review, Singapore appeared before the UPR Working Group, which is chaired by the President of the Human Rights Council (HRC) and composed of the 47 HRC member States. The interagency delegation was led by Ambassador-at-Large Ong Keng Yong. During the three-hour session, Singapore presented its National Report and engaged in an interactive dialogue with member and observer states of the HRC. The session was open to accredited media and civil society organisations (CSOs), which can observe but not participate in the proceedings.

An outcome document, which contains a summary of the proceedings, recommendations from other States and Singapore’s response to these recommendations was adopted by the Working Group three days later on 10 May 2011 in a half-hour session.

An Addendum bearing Singapore’s response to the recommendations, was considered at a subsequent HRC Plenary Session in September 2011. Singapore, HRC member and observer States as well as CSOs were allotted time, within a total of one hour, to express their views. The outcome document was formally adopted by the HRC Plenary at the 18th HRC Session and will form the basis for the next review in 2016.

Report of the Working Group

Addendum document

All UPR sessions are broadcast live via webcasts on the OHCHR website.

Links to more information on the UPR

UPR page on OHCHR website:
http://www.ohchr.org/en/hrbodies/upr/pages/uprmain.aspx

UPR Info:
http://www.upr-info.org/

Singapore Universal Periodic Review

Singapore welcomes the UPR process as a conversation with our citizens, civil society organisations, and fellow UN member States on our achievements and challenges in the area of human rights.

In its preparations for the National Report, the Singapore Government conducted broad consultations with local stakeholders from government and non-governmental organisations active in the promotion of human rights.

Singapore Universal Periodic Review

About Singapore
- An introduction to Singapore
- Constitution of Singapore
Socio-economic rights
- Education
- Health
  - Singapore’s healthcare system
  - Healthcare financing in Singapore
- Public Housing
  - Singapore's public housing programmes
- Social Security
  - Central Provident Fund Board
  - ComCare
Rights of Special Groups
Political and Civil Rights
- Criminal Justice
  - Penal Code
  - Criminal Procedure Code 2010
- Racial and Religious Harmony
  - Community Engagement Programme
  - Declaration on Religious Harmony