ABSTRACT
When the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Mechanism was established in 2006, one of the criticisms was that it would undermine the work of other human rights mechanisms. The relationship between the UPR and other human rights mechanisms (treaty bodies and special procedures) have attracted some academic discourse, especially considering that the UPR was established to complement and not duplicate the work of the treaty bodies. Scholars have engaged with the ability of the UPR to impact on domestic human rights protection on a range of issues including the right to health, indigenous rights, rights of sexual minorities and the abolition of the death penalty. One area that has received no meaningful attention so far is the ability of the UPR mechanism to promote transitional justice process in post-conflict states. This chapter develops a framework for assessing the relationship between the UPR and transitional justice and undertakes the first empirical analysis of that relationship with a focus on Burundi and South Sudan. The author argues that the UPR can play a significant role in promoting transitional justice measures, reinforcing, and increasing the visibility of recommendations from other international mechanisms, and promoting accountability for human rights atrocities.
