On 20 January 2025 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, the fourth Universal Periodic Review (UPR) dedicated to Italy took place. The UPR is a peer-review mechanism established within the framework of the Human Rights Council, in which all UN Member States participate approximately every five years to review the overall human rights situation within their countries.
During today’s session, held as an interactive debate, 123 States took the floor to present a series of recommendations and observations. These will be carefully examined by Italy through a coordination exercise led by the Inter-Ministerial Committee for Human Rights (CIDU) – a body based at the Italian Foreign Ministry.
The Italian delegation was headed by the Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs, Giorgio Silli, and included representatives from nine Ministries, departments of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, UNAR (National Office Against Racial Discrimination), CNEL (National Council for Economics and Labour), AICS (Italian Agency for Development Cooperation), the Conference of Regions and Autonomous Provinces, the President of the Senate’s Extraordinary Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, Senator Stefania Pucciarelli, and Emanuele Loperfido, Vice President of the Standing Committee on Human Rights in the World of the Chamber of Deputies.
“Italy strongly supports the UPR mechanism, in line with its traditional commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights,” Silli emphasised. “Italy intends to contribute through its efforts to keeping the human being, with their rights and fundamental freedoms, at the heart of the international community’s actions,” the Undersecretary continued. He also recalled Italy’s candidacy for the UN Human Rights Council for the 2026-28 term.