A/HRC/27/12 Introduction 1. The Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, established in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 of 18 June 2007, held its nineteenth session from 28 April 7 to 9 May 2014. The review of Costa Rica was held at the 11th meeting, on 5 May 2014. The delegation of Costa Rica was headed by Gioconda Ubeda Rivera, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Worship. At its 17th meeting, held on 8 May 2014, the Working Group adopted the report on Costa Rica. 2. On 15 January 2014, the Human Rights Council selected the following group of rapporteurs (troika) to facilitate the review of Costa Rica: Argentina, Botswana and Viet Nam. 3. In accordance with paragraph 15 of the annex to resolution 5/1 and paragraph 5 of the annex to resolution 16/21, the following documents were issued for the review of Costa Rica: (a) A national report submitted/written presentation made in accordance with paragraph 15 (a) (A/HRC/WG.6/19/CRI/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.6/19/CRI/2); (c) A summary prepared by OHCHR in accordance with paragraph 15 (c) (A/HRC/WG.6/19/CRI/3). 4. A list of questions prepared in advance by Belgium, Germany, Mexico, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Slovenia and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was transmitted to Costa Rica through the troika. The questions are available on the extranet of the universal periodic review (UPR). A summary of additional questions posed during the interactive dialogue by Angola, Canada, France, Ghana, Hungary, Iceland and Italy can be found in section I. B below. I. Summary of the proceedings of the review process A. Presentation by the State under review 5. Costa Rica indicated that it was a great responsibility to report on its compliance with and implementation of its international human rights obligations. In its second national report, Costa Rica had provided information on the follow-up to the recommendations received in 2009. In 2010, it had presented an additional document with its position on the recommendations, and in 2012 it had presented a midterm report on progress made and on specific compliance with some of the recommendations. 6. In preparing the second national report, 21 institutions from the executive branch, which together formed the Inter-Institutional Committee on Follow-Up to and Compliance with International Human Rights Obligations (CIIDDHH), had been involved. The judicial branch, the Office of the Ombudsman, the Supreme Electoral Court and the Legislative Assembly had also participated as observers. CIIDDHH had now been institutionalized as a mechanism for consultation and dialogue, through an executive decree, and with a permanent consultative body for civil society. 7. Costa Rica was pleased to report that, since the previous review, it had ratified the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance 3