Country detail - yourHRC.org

Uruguay

Regional group:

Latin American & Caribbean Group

Council member:

2006-2007

2007-2008

2008-2009

2009-2010

2010-2011

2011-2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

Council Bureau membership:	President (2012) Vice-president (2007-2008)
Coordinator of regional group:	–
Voluntary financial contribution to OHCHR (2024) :

Other HRC positions:	Member of Consultative Group (2008-2009) Member of Working Group on Situations (2020, 2021)
OHCHR presence:	Human Rights Adviser
NHRI accreditation status:	A

National Mechanisms for Implementation, Reporting, and Follow-up (NMIRF): Standing - Inter-Ministerial

Engagement with the HRC

Principal sponsorship of HRC resolutions

Contribution of the Human Rights Council to the special session of the General Assembly on the world drug problem of 2016; Strengthening efforts to prevent and eliminate child, early and forced marriage; Effects of foreign debt and other related international financial obligations of States on the full enjoyment of all human rights, particularly economic, social and cultural rights: the activities of vulture funds; High-level panel on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the Human Rights Council; Human rights and the environment; Human rights, sexual orientation and gender identity; Mandate of the Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity; Mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography; Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on a communications procedure; Preventable mortality and morbidity of children under 5 years of age as a human rights concern; Promotion and protection of human rights in post-disaster and post-conflict situations; Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence; The incompatibility between democracy and racism; The role of prevention in the promotion and protection of human rights; Consequences of child, early and forced marriage; Promoting, protecting and fulfilling women’s and girls’ full enjoyment of human rights in humanitarian situations; The contribution of the Human Rights Council to the prevention of human rights violations; Cooperation with the United Nations, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights.

Voting record

Since it first became a member of the Council in 2006, Uruguay has either voted in favour of or has joined consensus on nearly all resolutions tabled under item 4 (situations that require the Council’s attention), and country-specific resolutions under item 2. The exceptions are three abstention votes between 2011 and 2012 on resolutions dealing with the situations in Belarus and the Islamic Republic of Iran. For item 7 resolutions (human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories), Uruguay has consistently voted in favour (or joined consensus). The only exception was an abstention during the adoption of the March 2012 resolution on the ‘follow-up to the UN Fact-Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict.’ On item 10 resolutions (capacity-building), Uruguay has joined consensus on all resolutions except for one that was voted on (during the period of its membership): on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Uruguay voted in favour). For thematic resolutions dealing with civil and political rights, Uruguay has generally joined consensus. Where there has been a vote, it has generally voted in favour. The exceptions are Uruguay’s position on four OIC resolutions (between 2007-2010) on ‘defamation of religion’ (one vote against and three abstentions), and two item 9 resolutions in 2007 on complementary standards to CERD, and on ‘concrete action against racism’ (Uruguay abstained). For thematic resolutions dealing with economic, social and cultural rights, Uruguay has either joined consensus on, or has voted in favour of, nearly all adopted texts. The only exception was in 2010 when Uruguay ‘did not vote’ on a resolution on unilateral coercive measures.

HRC participation

During HRC general discussions, panel debates and interactive dialogues with the Special Procedures, during the past three years, either as an HRC member or not, the State has joined:

Regional
group statements

Average of statements for all countries: 78

Subregional
group statements

Average of statements for all countries: 50

Political group
statements

Average of statements for all countries: 109

Cross-regional
group statements

Average of statements for all countries: 96

Other joint
statements

Average of statements for all countries: 5

HRC member empty chair?

Overall, as a HRC member, has participated in more than 10% of panel discussions, general debates and interactive dialogues.

Cooperation with international human rights system

Special Procedures

Standing invitation

Communications responded to / received

Visits requests status

Completed
Invitation sent by the State not (yet) accepted by the SP
Accepted / date set
Visit request by the SP and not (yet) accepted by the State
Postponed / cancelled

Longest visit request not (yet) accepted by the State >
SR on food, 2016

Treaty Bodies

Ratified

Reporting Status

Ratification status
Party Not Party
Individual complaint procedure accepted.
Reporting status

Submitted on time
Submitted late
Not applicable

On schedule
Overdue (outstanding)

CAT

ICCPR

CED

CEDAW

CERD

ICESCR

CRC

CRPD

Most overdue report

CEDAW
3 Months

OP-CAT

Ratified

NPM established

Received Sub-Committee visit

Universal Periodic Review

Reported

(2009, 2014, 2019)

Mid-term report

1st, 2nd and 3rd cycles

Level of delegation

Minister

Participation in other reviews
1^st cycle: 48 / 192

2^nd cycle: 192 / 192

Cooperation with the UN, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights

Cited in the Secretary General’s reports on 'alleged reprisals for cooperation with the United Nations, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights' (2010-2024)?

Fulfilment of past voluntary pledges & commitments

Specific voluntary pledges: 9

Uruguay tabled voluntary pledges and commitments in support of its candidacy for membership of the Council for the period 2009-2012 on 29 January 2009.

At international level, Uruguay pledged to: encourage parliamentary ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (CESCR-OP); continue to cooperate fully with the Council and its mechanisms; maintain its Standing Invitation to Special Procedures mandate-holders; submit timely periodic reports to the Treaty Bodies; cooperate with OHCHR; and support the effective participation of civil society, including NGOs, in the work of the Human Rights Council.

An analysis of steps taken by Uruguay in fulfilment of its commitments shows that it did indeed ratify the CRPD (February 2009) and the CESCR-OP (February 2013). With regard to cooperation with the Council, Uruguay participated in about one-third of all panels, interactive dialogues, and general debates. Uruguay has demonstrated strong levels of cooperation with the Special Procedures, maintaining a Standing Invitation, completing more than 60% of visits requests, and responding to 75% all communications received. Turning to Treaty Bodies, Uruguay is Party to all the core conventions and tends to comply with its reporting obligations.

Uruguay

Latin American & Caribbean Group

Engagement with the HRC

Principal sponsorship of HRC resolutions

Voting record

HRC participation

HRC member empty chair?

Cooperation with international human rights system

Special Procedures

Standing invitation

Communications responded to / received

Visits requests status

Treaty Bodies

Ratified

Reporting Status

Universal Periodic Review

Participation in other reviews 1st cycle: 48 / 192

2nd cycle: 192 / 192

Cooperation with the UN, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights

Fulfilment of past voluntary pledges & commitments

Specific voluntary pledges: 9

Participation in other reviews
1^st cycle: 48 / 192

2^nd cycle: 192 / 192