A/HRC/21/15 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 thirteenth session from 21 May to 4 June 2012. The review of the Netherlands was held at the 15th meeting on 31 May 2012. The delegation of the Netherlands was headed by Liesbeth Spies, Minister of Interior and Kingdom Relations. At its 18th meeting held on 4 June 2012, the Working Group adopted the report on the Netherlands. 2. On 3 May 2012, the Human Rights Council selected the following group of rapporteurs (troika) to facilitate the review of the Netherlands: Benin, the Russian Federation and Thailand. 3. In accordance with paragraph 15 of the annex to resolution 5/1 and paragraph 5 of the annex to Council resolution 16/21 of 25 March 2011, the following documents were issued for the review of the Netherlands: (a) A national report submitted and a written presentation made in accordance with paragraph 15 (a) (A/HRC/WG.6/13/NLD/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.6/13/NLD/2); (c) A summary prepared by OHCHR in accordance with paragraph 15 (c) (A/HRC/WG.6/13/NLD/3 and Corr.1). 4. A list of questions prepared in advance by Norway, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Slovenia and Sweden was transmitted to the Netherlands through the troika. These questions are available on the extranet of the universal periodic review (UPR). I. Summary of the proceedings of the review process A. Presentation by the State under review 5. Firstly, the national report of the Netherlands was introduced by the Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations of the Netherlands, Liesbeth Spies, who reported that it was the first time that all four countries of the Kingdom had been represented, namely Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten and the Netherlands. Ms. Spies noted the great importance that the Netherlands attached to promoting, protecting and upholding human rights, as demonstrated by the Dutch candidature to the Human Rights Council for the 2015–2017 term. She also highlighted the new developments since the last UPR, such as the establishment of the National Human Rights Institute in accordance with the principles relating to the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (Paris Principles) and the establishment, in 2011, of the Children’s Ombudsman. 6. Ms. Spies emphasized the important role that numerous organizations, beside the Government, Parliament and judiciary, played in supervising observance of human rights. The expertise of academics and representatives of human rights organizations was often requested in order to establish a constructive dialogue. UPR was a notable example of that dialogue. 7. In addition, Ms. Spies explained that, in April 2012, the Coalition Government of the Netherlands had resigned. Therefore, the current Government, although officially not in 3