A/HRC/38/11
Introduction
1.
The Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, established in accordance
with Human Rights Council resolution 5/1, held its twenty-ninth session from 15 to 26
January 2018. The review of Luxembourg was held at the 8th meeting, on 18 January 2018.
The delegation of Luxembourg was headed by the Minister of Foreign and European
Affairs, Jean Asselborn. At its 14th meeting, held on 23 January 2018, the Working Group
adopted the report on Luxembourg.
2.
On 10 January 2018, the Human Rights Council selected the following group of
rapporteurs (troika) to facilitate the review of Luxembourg: Georgia, Switzerland and
Tunisia.
3.
In accordance with paragraph 15 of the annex to Human Rights Council resolution
5/1 and paragraph 5 of the annex to Council resolution 16/21, the following documents
were issued for the review of Luxembourg:
(a)
A national report submitted/written presentation made in accordance with
paragraph 15 (a) (A/HRC/WG.6/29/LUX/1);
(b)
A compilation prepared by the Office of the United Nations High
Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in accordance with paragraph 15 (b)
(A/HRC/WG.6/29/LUX/2);
(c)
A summary prepared by OHCHR in accordance with paragraph 15 (c)
(A/HRC/WG.6/29/LUX/3).
4.
A list of questions prepared in advance by Brazil, Czechia, Portugal, Spain and the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was transmitted to Luxembourg
through the troika. These questions are available on the website of the universal periodic
review.
I. Summary of the proceedings of the review process
A.
Presentation by the State under review
5.
The head of the delegation highlighted that, since the adoption of the
recommendations of the second cycle, the efforts of Luxembourg had focused on their
implementation. In order to improve national coordination, Luxembourg had established
the Interministerial Human Rights Committee in May 2015. The Committee regularly
brought together all ministries and public administrations concerned by the protection and
promotion of human rights in Luxembourg. It had spearheaded the national consultation
leading to the national report for the third cycle of the universal periodic review.
6.
The Committee served as a national coordinating mechanism, responsible for
following up on the implementation of universal periodic review recommendations and
preparing periodic reports to the treaty bodies. The Committee was chaired by the country’s
Ambassador-at-Large for Human Rights, while the Secretariat was provided by the Human
Rights Desk of the Political Directorate at the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs.
Cooperation with civil society was an integral part of the Committee’s work: every meeting
began in an “intergovernmental format”, after which the Committee opened its doors to
participation by national human rights institutions and all non-governmental organizations
(NGOs) concerned.
7.
Luxembourg was a candidate for membership of the Human Rights Council for the
period 2022 to 2024, and planned in the coming months to prepare a list of voluntary
commitments under General Assembly resolution 60/251.
8.
With regard to the backlog of treaty body reports, Luxembourg undertook to find a
solution for their drafting and submission before the end of 2018, relying on the flexibility
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