Previous UPRs of Pakistan 3. Pakistan was previously reviewed during the first, second, and third cycles of the UPR, in 2008, 2012, and 2017 respectively. During the first cycle, Pakistan did not receive any recommendations on the subject of statelessness or nationality.4 During the second cycle, Pakistan received one recommendation by Austria to ratify the Statelessness Conventions, which it noted.5 During the third cycle, Pakistan received one recommendation by Slovakia to ratify the Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness, which it noted.6 4. In January 2020, as part of the mid-term review of Pakistan’s 3rd Cycle UPR, the United Nations Country Team encouraged the Government to consider ratifying relevant conventions; ensure registration and documentation at birth of children born in Pakistan, including those within the Bengali, Bihari and Rohingya communities; ensure the regularization of legal stay of those without legal status; consider positive measures to prevent statelessness by implementing citizenship laws and policies for the inclusion of Bengali, Bihari and Rohingya communities; ensure adopting measures to provide protection to stateless persons and those at risk of statelessness, including the right to free movement, work, health and education.7 These recommendations were reflected in the Draft National Policy Framework on Human Rights prepared by the Ministry of Human Rights.8 Pakistan’s International obligations 5. Pakistan is not a signatory to the 1954 Convention on the Status of Stateless Persons or the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness. However, Pakistan has international obligations to protect the right to a nationality and the rights of stateless people on the basis of other UN and regional treaties to which it is a party. These include: ● ● ● ● ● ● International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (see article 24.3 ICCPR) International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (see articles. 2.2 and article 3 ICESCR) Convention of the Rights of the Child (see articles 2, 3, 7 and 8 CRC) Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (see article 9 CEDAW) International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (see article 5(d)(iii) CERD) Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (see article 18 CRPD). 4UN HRC, Universal Periodic Review, ‘Report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review’, Pakistan, A/HRC/8/42 (4 June 2008), para 106. 5UN HRC, Report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, Pakistan, A/HRC/22/12 (26 December 2012), para 122.7; UN HRC, Report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, Pakistan, Addendum, A/HRC/22/12/Add.1 (13 March 2013), para 4. 6UN HRC, Universal Periodic Review, Report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, Pakistan, A/HRC/37/13, para 152.29; N HRC, Report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, Pakistan, Addendum, A/HRC/37/13/Add.1, para 4. 7 UNCT Mid-term Review of Pakistan’s UPR Submission, January 2020. 8 Draft National Policy Framework on Human Rights, Ministry of Human Rights, [Available at: http://www.mohr.gov.pk/SiteImage/Misc/files/National%20Policy%20Framework%20on%20Human%20Rights.p df]. 2