United Nation’s Universal Periodic Review Mechanism on Human Rights: Results and Challenges

The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a mechanism to review the human rights situation for all UN member states. This paper provides some analysis of the impact and effectiveness of the UPR mechanism since its establishment in 2006. By looking at the achieved results and limitations of the UPR, this article argues that after nearly two decades of operation, the mechanism needs to be comprehensively evaluated by the United Nations and relevant stakeholders to make necessary adjustments to enhance the effectiveness of this global human rights monitoring mechanism. The article also takes Vietnam’s participation as an illustration of how UPR mechanism works at the national level.