This report was prepared in accordance with Article (5/e) of United Nations General Assembly Resolution (251/60) regarding the establishment of a council for human rights, and in accordance with the general guiding principles authorized by the Human Rights Council that reflect the United Arab Emirates’ commitment to respect and apply all principles, charters, and agreements related to human rights that maintain human dignity and achieve equality, social justice, and equal opportunities among individuals, as well as provide a better life, a stronger stability, and a higher international standing. This report was created with the participation of national agencies and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to present the efforts made by the United Arab Emirates in the field of human rights and the degree to which it abides by national laws and ratified agreements and charters, and to present the actual state of human rights in observance of the mechanism of Universal Periodic Review.

Government agencies, NGOs, and national institutions participated in preparing this report. The committee compiled the information and data provided by all competent entities and, after studying them, included them in the report.

In observance of the mechanism for Universal Periodic Review in accordance with the standards and rules for presentations and the objectives and principles determined by the Council for Human Rights, the State emplaced an agenda to prepare a report that reflects primarily the commitment and efforts exerted to fulfill its international obligations by applying the best practices to uplift human rights to wider horizons and to work freely and responsibly in cooperation and expanded partnership with all classes of society and interested parties of concern.

The agenda includes the following:

1. - Forming a committee headed by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, with the membership of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of State for Federal National Council Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Labor, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Social Affairs, the Federal National Council, the Women’s Union, the Press Association, and the UAE Human Rights Association.

2. - Presenting the mechanism for Universal Periodic Review to interested competent parties in the executive, legislative, and judiciary branches; governmental and non-governmental organizations; and media organizations active in the field of human rights, with the goal of including them in the preparation of the national report through consultation and collection of opinions by way of corresponding with these entities to request data and information related to human rights in the State, each according to their specialty.

3. - The committee studied the data and information related to human rights and included them in the report according to the standards set for that purpose.

4. - The committee reviewed related United Arab Emirates reports related to human rights previously submitted to the United Nations committees related to agreements to which the state is party, and reviewed the recommendations issued by the committees concerned with the execution of international agreements.

5. - The committee conducted practical activities through field visits and communicating with local and national human rights entities.

6. - A number of committee members were selected to attend some of the sessions conducted by the Human Rights Council to discuss other countries’ reports in order to familiarize them with the procedures followed during interactive discussions in the council.

7. - Organizing workshops for interested agencies to provide opportunities for all to present their points of view and remarks on the information and data in the report.

8. - Creation of a website (www.mfnca.gov.ae) that includes information about the Universal Periodic Review and other information related to preparing the national report in order to provide the opportunity to all parties to express their opinions or to remark upon human rights in the State at the following address: (uae_upr@mfnca.gov.ae).

9. - The committee prepared a booklet that includes the Human Rights Council procedures, the national agenda, and the requirements for preparation of the report. The booklet was issued in Arabic and English and was distributed to all competent agencies and posted on the website (enclosure 7).

10. - Emplacing a mechanism for monitoring and implementing the recommendations issued by the Human Rights Council.

         •  The UAE National Report Click here for pdf

         •  Mechanism Adopted to Draw Up Action Plan Click here for pdf