Bulgaria Goes Through Third Universal Periodic Human Rights Review
06 November 2020 News
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Georg Georgiev took part in the Third Universal Periodic Review of the situation with human rights in Bulgaria, as head of the Bulgarian delegation. The Review took place on 6 November 2020.
Bulgaria is subject to a Universal Periodic Review once every five years, this being the most important event related to the commitments made in respect of human rights.
In view of the emergency situation resulting from the spread of COVID-19, the Review was held, as an exception, in a „hybrid format“ that included a video link between the Palace of Nations in Geneva and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Sofia. Taking part in the Review were deputy ministers of interior, labour and social policy, education and science, justice, and culture as well as representatives of the Ministry of Health, the State Agency for Protection of Children, the State Agency for Refugees, the Electronic Media Council, and the National Council for Cooperation on Ethnic and Integration Issues.
In his introductory remarks, Deputy Minister Georgiev offered a brief presentation of Bulgaria’s implementation of the most important recommendations received from UN members during the previous Review, held in 2015. Ninety-six UN member states took part in the interactive dialogue after the presentation. Bulgaria was praised for its progress in a number of areas of human rights as well as for its accession to international instruments and for its participation in the development of new policies and strategies.
In the course of the Review, Bulgaria received recommendations for the adoption of additional measures concerning domestic violence, crime, and hate speech, on ending discrimination and deinstitualisation, and equality of the sexes and empowerment of women and members of minority groups, refugees, and migrants.
The Universal Periodic Review applies to all 193 UN member states with regard to the state of human rights and the implementation of international commitments and obligations. Fourteen countries are under review at this session.