The Universal Periodic Review & Voluntary National Reviews: Processes to Protect Democracy & Promote Respect for Human Rights

The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is an important initiative in global human rights machinery with every UN member state being reviewed for their human rights record. The UPR will enter its fourth cycle in 2022. The event will review the three UPR of the United States of America from 2010 – 2020 and share lessons learned to defend liberty. The Voluntary National Review (VNR) is new process to discuss the state of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that takes place at the UN High Level Political Forum. The event will discuss initial discussions and share new Voluntary Local Reviews exercising municipal multilateralism. The human rights framework with the UPR and the 2030 agenda language with the VNR provide processes that promote proactive, participatory dynamic discussions to strengthen democracy and support dignity for all people.