The United Nations' human rights mechanism will evaluate the human rights situation in Belgium on Wednesday, 6 May, with Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxime Prévot (Les Engagés) representing the country.
The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a UN mechanism that assesses the human rights records of member states every 4.5 years.
It operates on the principle that no country has a flawless human rights record, encouraging progress through dialogue among equals.
Belgium is among 14 countries being reviewed this year, with Prévot defending its human rights record during a three-hour session.
The evaluation is based on Belgium's national report, a report by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and contributions from various stakeholders.
Amnesty International, which participated in the process, has highlighted three key issues for the international review. The first is the ongoing asylum reception crisis.
According to Amnesty spokesperson Eva Davidova, "Thousands of people seeking international protection have been denied shelter since 2021. Currently, 1,300 individuals are left on the streets in precarious conditions."
Amnesty further criticises Belgium's repeated failure to comply with court rulings on the crisis.
"Belgium has been convicted over 11,000 times for not respecting human rights obligations on asylum reception. The government has even ignored fines imposed by courts," Davidova said. This raises serious questions about Belgium’s respect for judicial authority and the rule of law, according to Amnesty.
Other concerns expected to be addressed include overcrowded prisons and restrictions on the right to peaceful protest. A recent Amnesty report indicates mounting pressure on the right to demonstrate in Belgium.
This is the fourth UPR for Belgium since the mechanism's introduction in 2011. Amnesty notes progress in some areas, such as ethnic profiling.
Following a 2016 recommendation, Belgium analysed the issue, which spurred dialogue between civil society and law enforcement agencies.
"While not perfect, measures to combat ethnic profiling have been included in the federal anti-racism plan, marking real progress," said Amnesty policy adviser Margot Vervaecke.
Prévot also emphasised Belgium's initiatives since 2021. Action plans have been rolled out at multiple policy levels to combat racism and discrimination.
Efforts to address gender-based violence include the establishment of ten care centres for victims of sexual violence. Justice reforms now make imprisonment a last resort.
While acknowledging achievements, Prévot admitted Belgium still faces challenges, stressing the importance of transparency in the review process.
"No country has a perfect record. But we take our commitments seriously, from combating discrimination to improving the rights of people with disabilities. Our honesty gives credibility to Belgium's voice on the international stage," he said.
