Rwandan government officials, on Wednesday, January 21, appeared before the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva for the country's fourth Universal Periodic Review (UPR), a key moment in the country’s ongoing engagement with the international human rights system.

The delegation was led by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Emmanuel Ugirashebuja.

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The review brought 100 states assessing progress made since the last review in 2021 and proposing new recommendations on governance, justice, civic space, social inclusion, and economic rights. The delegation brought together heads of institutions that make up the National Mechanism for Implementation, Reporting and Follow-up, where they present achievements, acknowledge remaining challenges, and outline national priorities as the country enters a new implementation cycle.

In UPR processes, three UN member states or the Troika, are chosen to facilitate the review, reporting and recommendations given to the country under review. The Troika do this on behalf of the UPR Working Group.

The Troika for Rwanda is still finalising the draft report made on Wednesday. At this stage, the number of recommendations is expected to be in the range of 292–300, according to officials.

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Presenting Rwanda’s national report, Ugirashebuja said the fourth review reflects the country’s continued commitment to constructive dialogue and cooperation within the peer-review framework.

"We approach today’s dialogue in a spirit of openness, constructive engagement and shared learning,” he said on Wednesday.

"We value the UPR not as a forum for rhetoric, but as a practical instrument that helps states assess progress, identify gaps, strengthen institutions and deliver better outcomes for people.”

While highlighting progress made since the first UPR review, the minister acknowledged that advancing human rights remains an ongoing process that requires continuous improvement, openness to scrutiny and collective responsibility across all stakeholders.

What next after the fourth review?

Following Wednesday&039;s review and the subsequent finalisation of the report, the Rwandan government will undertake national consultations with relevant stakeholders to assess the recommendations and determine its position, explained William Ndengeyinka, the State Attorney.

"The Government’s responses will be communicated to the Working Group in accordance with the established procedure and within the prescribed timeframe," Ndeneyinka told The New Times.

Speaking about the timeline for the outcome and Rwanda’s position on the report, the official explained that the Troika is expected to circulate the first draft of the recommendations section of the Working Group report on January 30.

"The full draft report is expected to be issued by the UPR Secretariat on February 6, 2026. The outcome of the review is expected to be adopted by the Human Rights Council at its 62nd session (June–July 2026)," Ndengeyinka added.

Looking back at the third review

Rwanda’s third UPR review happened in January 2021, when the country received 248 recommendations and accepted 160.

Since then, Minister Ugirashebuja said the government has undertaken sustained reforms through policy changes, strengthened coordination, and increased investment in public services and institutions.

On civil and political rights, governance and justice, among others, he said that Rwanda reported reforms aimed at strengthening constitutional guarantees, expanding citizen participation, reinforcing accountability, and enhancing the effectiveness of justice institutions, while safeguarding social cohesion and stability.

Ugirashebuja said the media landscape has expanded significantly since 1994, with 39 radio stations, 24 television stations, five print media houses, and 169 licensed online outlets now operating nationwide. He said the growth has gone hand in hand with efforts to prevent hate speech and protect national unity.

On economic, social, and cultural rights, Rwanda has made progress in employment, education, land access, and social protection.

Ugirashebuja highlighted that between 2022 and 2024, the country created 949,003 new off-farm jobs, supported by skills development programmes targeting the youth.

Education spending rose from Rwf521.5 billion in 2021/22 to Rwf832.6 billion in 2023/24, while the number of schools at all levels continued to grow.

Land reforms under the 2021 land law were cited as strengthening tenure security, guaranteeing equal rights for rural and urban citizens and supporting investment through regulated long-term leases.

New recommendations

Several countries welcomed Rwanda’s achievements and made new recommendations.

The United Kingdom urged stronger safeguards for media freedom, improved sexual health education to address teenage pregnancies and more flexible regulation of faith-based organisations.

Uruguay encouraged accession to key international human rights instruments, stronger enforcement against child labour, expanded HIV prevention for young women and broader anti-discrimination protections.

Vietnam called for deeper investment in food security and vocational training, while Zambia recommended greater inclusion of persons with disabilities in decision-making and accession to the Optional Protocol to the to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

Responses and comments from Rwanda’s delegation

Responding to concerns and recommendations from member states, Ugirashebuja commende delegations for what he described as largely constructive engagement, while clarifying Rwanda’s position on some issues.

He began by addressing comments related to DR Congo, stressing that the UPR should focus strictly on matters within Rwanda’s jurisdiction.

"When we come here for this review, we are under the impression that we are reviewed on areas where we have effective jurisdiction. Anything beyond that should not be a matter of this review,” he said.

On freedom of worship and the closure of some churches, Ugirashebuja said the measures were applied across denominations and were driven by safety and legal compliance.

"Almost all churches had some prayer places closed down, not because of what they believe in, but because of safety concerns or violations such as building codes,” he said, adding that no particular denomination was targeted.

He also addressed calls for Rwanda to accede to the International Convention on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, noting that treaty ratification follows extensive internal consultations.

"There are many internal dialogues that take place before a country ratifies an agreement. If we find it necessary, then we will ratify it,” he said.

On allegations of targeting journalists, civil society actors and claims of extrajudicial killings, Ugirashebuja emphasised the need for specific, formally presented cases.

"Every person in Rwanda is subject to the law, including people in the media,” he said, adding that general allegations without formal complaints make investigations difficult and risk undermining constitutionally mandated institutions.

He further defended funding for the National Human Rights Commission, saying resources have increased progressively despite competing national priorities. He highlighted the commission’s expanded mandate since 2018, including announced and unannounced visits to places of detention and follow-up on recommendations submitted to Parliament.

Doris Picard Uwicyeza, CEO of the Rwanda Governance Board (RGB) reinforced the government’s position on civic space and freedom of religion. She said Rwanda values civil society as a key partner and remains committed to freedom of association under international and regional instruments. However, she explained that regulation is necessary to prevent unaccountable "briefcase NGOs” and to ensure transparency.

"The principle is simple: if an organisation seeks to raise public or donor funds and operate at scale, it must be clear who it is and how it will be accountable,” she said, noting that no NGO has been rejected after meeting legal requirements.

On closure of churches, Uwicyeza said the measures are temporary, lawful, and non-discriminatory, with 86 applications for reopening already under review.

Meanwhile, Yvan Murenzi is the Director General of the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR) stressed the role of evidence in assessing progress. He said access to education is now gender-balanced, poverty has fallen from 60 percent in 2000 to 27 percent in 2024, and health indicators continue to improve.

"For us, evidence is paramount,” Murenzi said. "It is the foundation for tracking progress and identifying gaps.”

The Universal Periodic Review is a unique mechanism of the Human Rights Council that calls for each UN Member State to undergo a peer review of its human rights records every 4.5 years.

The UPR provides each State the opportunity to regularly report on the actions it has taken to improve the human rights situations in their countries and to overcome challenges to the enjoyment of human rights; and receive recommendations – informed by multi-stakeholder input and pre-session reports – from UN Member States for continuous improvement.

It was established in March 2006 and the first periodic review took place in 2008. Rwanda first participated in the UPR in January 2011. Its second review happened in 2015.