A/HRC/43/14 Introduction 1. The Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, established in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 5/1, held its thirty-fourth session from 4 to 15 November 2019. The review of Iraq was held at the 12th meeting, on 11 November 2019. The delegation of Iraq was headed by the Minister of Justice of Iraq, Farooq Ameen Othman. At its 17th meeting, held on 14 November 2019, the Working Group adopted the report on Iraq. 2. On 15 January 2019, the Human Rights Council selected the following group of rapporteurs (troika) to facilitate the review of Iraq: Bahrain, Czechia and Uruguay. 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 Iraq: (a) A national report submitted/written presentation made in accordance with paragraph 15 (a) (A/HRC/WG.6/34/IRQ/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.6/34/IRQ/2); (c) A summary prepared by OHCHR in accordance with paragraph 15 (c) (A/HRC/WG.6/34/IRQ/3). 4. A list of questions prepared in advance by Belgium, Germany, Portugal, on behalf of the Group of Friends on national mechanisms for implementation, reporting and follow-up, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America was transmitted to Iraq 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 delegation of Iraq stated that the Government had put in place a number of mechanisms to follow up on the implementation of the 175 recommendations accepted during the second cycle of the universal periodic review, including a national action plan prepared in consultation with the Council of Ministers and the Ministry of Justice’s Human Rights Department. 6. A coordinating and follow-up committee had been established under that plan in order to follow up on the implementation of the recommendations, under the leadership of the Ministry with the participation of representatives from the ministries and institutions concerned. 7. The national report focused on the implementation of the recommendations from the previous review cycle despite the difficult challenges of the past five years, during which the terrorists of Daesh had taken control of large areas of Iraqi territory, committed heinous crimes and halted all opportunities for development, especially in those areas. 8. Despite the liberation of those areas, the devastating effects remained and the problems that accompanied the crisis posed a serious challenge. Nonetheless, the Government had taken several measures that had led to the return of more than 85 per cent of those displaced to their areas of residence. 9. Iraq had acceded to international conventions on human rights, the conventions of the International Labour Organization on labour conditions and the conventions of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on the protection of cultural heritage. 2