The Universal Periodic Review, or UPR, is another United Nations quango that must be obeyed. It is a ‘human rights monitoring system’ that obliges every UN member state to submit a periodic review on the situation with regard to human rights in its particular country. Each national government must conduct a ‘national consultation exercise’ around the UPR In other words, the government must give the impression that all the people are being informed about the process, and the people are then asked to submit their views, recommendations, etc. In practice, the government usually has its own report drawn up, with the able assistance of powerful lobby groups and NGOs (non-governmental organisations). ‘The result of the UPR examination will be a list of recommendations made by other countries on how to improve the human rights situation in Ireland.’ Really?A series of advertisements is being broadcast on Irish Radio at the moment, with the intention of drawing attention to the existence of the UPR. One of these advertisements consists of a woman telling us that she is a Traveller (formerly known as tinkers), and that she is conscious that her human rights as such should be recognised. Another one portrays a person with a disability – wishing to have the human rights of people with disabilities recognised; while in a third advertisement we hear about how the human rights of a person of no faith should be catered for – the person complains that as the majority of schools in Ireland are ‘faith-based’ no provision is made for children whose parents have no faith - the impression being given is that their human rights are thus being violated.
So, there you have it!
The Irish Council for Civil Liberties (no friend of the unborn child) ‘is working with other civil society organisations in a cross-sectional steering group to ensure that the collective voice of civil society is heard during Ireland’s UPR.’ Some of the ‘civil society organisations’ include Amnesty (pro-abortion), Children’s Rights Alliance (no friend of children), the Union of Students in Ireland (well known for their pro-abortion stance), Transgender Equality, etc., etc.
Now is the time for you to send in your submission – before 21 March 2011 – on what you think needs to be done in the area of human rights in Ireland. For instance, reverse legislation that undermines the family, attacks on human life – including unborn life – etc.
Contact the Irish Human Rights Commission, Fourth Floor, Jervis House, Jervis Street, Dublin 1, for further information. Or email upr@ihrc.ie. The website is: www.ihrc.ie. Don’t be fobbed off to the Irish Council for Civil Liberties.
