UN Human Rights Council Reschedules U.S. Review After Non-Cooperation with UPR

The Universal Periodic Review is a unique UN mechanism created in 2006 under General Assembly resolution 60/251, which established the Human Rights Council.

The United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) has adopted a formal decision expressing regret over the United States’ non-participation in its scheduled Universal Periodic Review (UPR) session, urging Washington to resume cooperation with the UN’s human rights monitoring process. The decision was adopted on 7 November 2025 during the Council’s organizational meeting at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

The move came after the United States of America—the “State under review”—failed to participate in the 50th session of the UPR Working Group, which had been set to examine its human rights record between 3 and 14 November 2025. The Council’s decision marks a rare instance of a member state declining to engage in the mechanism, which is widely viewed as one of the UN’s cornerstone processes for accountability and peer evaluation.

Council Calls for Re-Engagement

In its adopted decision, the Human Rights Council “called upon the State under review to resume its cooperation with the Universal Periodic Review mechanism, in accordance with General Assembly resolution 60/251 and Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 and the annex thereto.”

The Council further requested that the President of the Human Rights Council take “all appropriate steps and measures” within his mandate to encourage the United States to rejoin the process and report on the results of these efforts at future sessions. This includes diplomatic outreach to Washington and consultation with member states to ensure the UPR’s universality is upheld.

As part of the decision, the Council rescheduled the review of the United States to the 53rd session of the UPR Working Group in 2026, while noting that an earlier date could be arranged should the U.S. government indicate its willingness to engage sooner.

What the Universal Periodic Review Is

The Universal Periodic Review is a unique UN mechanism created in 2006 under General Assembly resolution 60/251, which established the Human Rights Council. The UPR is often described as a “peer review” process, where all 193 UN Member States are periodically reviewed by their fellow states on their human rights records. The review process is designed to ensure equal treatment and mutual accountability, giving every country an opportunity to present progress made and challenges faced in fulfilling human rights obligations.

Each UPR cycle typically takes place every four to five years, involving three key documents:

1. The National Report – submitted by the State under review, detailing actions taken to improve human rights conditions.

2. Compilation of UN Information – prepared by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), summarizing data from UN experts, treaty bodies, and special procedures.

3. Summary of Stakeholders’ Information – contributions from civil society, NGOs, and national human rights institutions.

The United States, however, did not submit its National Report prior to the scheduled review date on 7 November 2025, a requirement that would have formed the foundation of the review discussion.

Context and Implications

This marks the first time the U.S. has failed to engage in the UPR since the mechanism’s creation. The U.S. previously participated in the first (2010), second (2015), and third (2020) UPR cycles, where it received recommendations related to racial justice, immigration policies, detention practices, gender equality, and Indigenous rights.

The decision not to participate has drawn concern from human rights observers who stress that the UPR process relies on universal participation to maintain credibility. Analysts note that the U.S., as a founding member of the United Nations and a permanent member of the Security Council, plays a critical role in setting global human rights standards. Non-cooperation could weaken multilateral accountability mechanisms and set an unfavorable precedent for other states under review.

Other States Reviewed During the 50th Session

Despite the absence of the U.S., the 50th session of the UPR Working Group proceeded with reviews of several countries. Those examined to date include Belarus, Liberia, Malawi, Mongolia, Panama, the Maldives, Andorra, Bulgaria, and Honduras. Upcoming reviews before the close of the session include the Marshall Islands, Croatia, Jamaica, and Libya.

Each country’s review involves a three-hour dialogue in which delegations raise questions, make recommendations, and discuss human rights progress. The outcome reports are later adopted by the full Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Reaffirming the Universality of Human Rights Oversight

Human rights experts say the Council’s decision reflects a strong commitment to the universality and impartiality of the UPR process. The Council’s request that its President take proactive measures to re-engage the U.S. underscores the importance of non-selectivity in international human rights monitoring—one of the founding principles of the HRC.

The OHCHR continues to make available the Compilation of UN Information and Summary of Stakeholders’ Information prepared for the fourth-cycle review of the United States, offering a comprehensive snapshot of the country’s human rights landscape. These documents can be accessed online via the OHCHR’s UPR portal at https://www.ohchr.org/en/hr-bodies/upr/us-index.

Looking Ahead

As the Council prepares for the 53rd session in 2026, expectations remain high that the United States will recommit to the multilateral review process. Participation in the UPR not only serves as a measure of transparency and accountability but also reinforces global cooperation in advancing human rights protections.

Observers emphasize that by returning to the UPR framework, the United States can both demonstrate leadership and engage constructively with partners on addressing domestic and international human rights challenges—from racial equity and immigration policy to access to justice and freedom of expression.

The Human Rights Council’s latest decision is both a reprimand and an open invitation—a call for one of the UN’s most influential members to uphold the very values it has long championed on the global stage.