Strong and Effective National Human Rights Institutions
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STRONGCommissions - promotionAND (advisory) Commissions - promotion and protection EFFECTIVEOmbud institutions - NATIONALTraditional Ombud institutions - 'Plus' HUMANInstitutes RIGHTS INSTITUTIONSCountry has no accredited NHRI CHALLENGES, PROMISING PRACTICES AND OPPORTUNITIES ― REPORT © European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, 2020 Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged. For any use or reproduction of photos or other material that is not under the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights copyright, permission must be sought directly from the copyright holders. Neither the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights nor any person acting on behalf of the Agency is responsible for the use that might be made of the following information. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2020 Print ISBN 978-92-9474-866-9 doi:10.2811/297231 TK-01-20-138-EN-C PDF ISBN 978-92-9474-867-6 doi:10.2811/320913 TK-01-20-138-EN-N Photo credits: Page 7: © photo 5000 (AdobeStock) Page 10: © konoplizkaya (AdobeStock) Page 23: © Guillaume Le Bloas (AdobeStock) Page 28: © Grecaud Paul (AdobeStock) Page 33: © izkes (AdobeStock) Page 44: © araelf (AdobeStock) Page 50: © Fokussiert (AdobeStock) Page 54: © fotogestoeber (AdobeStock) Page 63: © aerogondo (AdobeStock) Page 69: © Zerbor (AdobeStock) Page 73: © konoplizkaya (AdobeStock) Page 80: © master1305 (AdobeStock) Page 86: © finecki (AdobeStock) Page 89: © Семен Саливанчук (AdobeStock) Page 92: © ipopba (AdobeStock) Page 94: © jirsak (AdobeStock) Page 95: © Ranta Images (AdobeStock) Foreword National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) are a vital part of the country- level human rights protection system. By raising awareness, providing advice, monitoring and holding authorities to account, they have a central role in navigating the great human rights challenges of our day – tackling both persistent concerns like discrimination and inequality, and novel issues such as the rights implications of artificial intelligence and of the COVID-19 pandemic. This report, published 10 years after FRA’s first in-depth study on NHRIs, looks at such bodies in the EU, as well as the Republic of North Macedonia, the Republic of Serbia and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It explores relevant developments, challenges to their effectiveness and ways to maximise their impact. NHRIs promote and protect rights nationally, but also ensure links to regional and international human rights protection mechanisms. Strengthening NHRIs would also help EU Member States deliver on the global 2030 Agenda. In the EU context, they have great potential to contribute more – and more explicitly – including for the upholding of the rule of law and EU values. The findings in this report underscore that, to fulfil their potential, NHRIs need a clear mandate, independence, adequate resources, and, in their memberships, to reflect our societies’ diversity. They also need to comply with the Paris Principles on the independence and effectiveness of NHRIs endorsed by the United Nations. The European Union Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy, which addresses the situation outside the EU, commits to supporting NHRIs that comply with the UN principles. We hope that the insights presented in this report will encourage policymakers to stand up for NHRIS within the EU with no less commitment. Michael O’Flaherty Director 1 Abbreviations and acronyms A-status NHRI Paris-Principles compliant NHRI CRPD UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities CSO Civil society organisation Ecosoc United Nations Economic and Social Council ENNHRI European Network of NHRIs Equinet European Network of Equality Bodies FRA European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights Frontex European Border and Coast Guard Agency GANHRI Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions GO General observation ICERD International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination IOI International Ombudsman Institute NGO Non-governmental organisation NHRI National human rights institution NMM National monitoring mechanism (under the CRPD) NPM National preventive mechanism (under OPCAT) ODIHR OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights OHCR Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights OPCAT UN Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture OSCE Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe SCA GANHRI’s Sub-Committee on Accreditation (of NHRIs) SDG Sustainable Development Goal UNCHR United Nations Commission on Human Rights UNDP United Nations Development Programme UPR Universal periodic review (of the UN) Contents Foreword � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 1 Abbreviations and acronyms � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 2 Why this report? Strengthening NHRIs in the EU � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 5 What are national human rights institutions? � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 5 COMPLIANCE WITH THE PARIS PRINCIPLES . 7 AWARENESS OF NHRIS IN THE EU . 8 EUROPEAN NETWORK OF NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS INSTITUTIONS ������������������������������������������������ 9 Key findings and FRA opinions � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 10 1. NHRIS IN THE EU – DIVERSITY AND DEVELOPMENTS ���������������������������������������������������������������������� 25 1.1. DIVERSITY OF NHRIS AT A GLANCE – SITUATION IN 30 COUNTRIES . 27 1.2. ACCREDITATION ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 32 1.3. TRENDS IN ESTABLISHING AND STRENGTHENING ACCREDITED NHRIS ���������������������������������� 34 ENDNOTES . 38 2. CHALLENGES FOR NHRIS – MOVING FROM ESTABLISHMENT TO IMPACT . 41 2.1. AN ENABLING ENVIRONMENT FOR NHRIS �������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 42 2.2. ENSURING INDEPENDENCE ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 45 2.3. ADEQUATE RESOURCES – A GUARANTEE FOR INDEPENDENCE AND EFFECTIVENESS . 50 2.4. BROADEST POSSIBLE MANDATE TO PROMOTE AND PROTECT HUMAN RIGHTS . 53 2.5. MEASURING EFFECTIVENESS AND IMPACT – EVALUATIONS AND ASSESSMENTS . 66 2.6. UN, COUNCIL OF EUROPE AND OSCE COOPERATION WITH NHRIS ������������������������������������������ 68 ENDNOTES . 72 3. WAYS FORWARD: STRENGTHENING NHRIS IN THE EU FRAMEWORK �������������������������������������������� 77 3.1. POTENTIAL AT EU LEVEL �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 77 3.2. 2030 AGENDA AND NHRIS AS INDICATORS UNDER THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS . 85 3.3. REINFORCING POWERS AT NATIONAL LEVEL ���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 87 3.4. HELPING THE EU AND MEMBER STATES TO FACE EMERGING HUMAN RIGHTS CHALLENGES . 90 ENDNOTES . 96 Annex I: Methodology � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 99 Annex II: List of NHRIs (or nearest equivalent) included in report � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 101 3 Figures and tables Figure 1: Awareness of the respective NHRI, by country (%) ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 8 Figure 2: Number of European countries with A- and B-status NHRIs ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 26 Figure 3: Typology of accredited NHRIs – commissions, ombuds institutions and institutes . 28 Figure 4: NHRIs’ year of establishment and year of first accreditation at current accreditation level . 29 Figure 5: Institutions mandated as an equality body under EU law . 30 Figure 6: Accreditation of NHRIs and additional mandates under UN treaties . 31 Figure 7: Overview of critical points raised in the SCA’s assessments of NHRIs . 33 Figure 8: Type of legal basis by state and institution – constitution or ordinary legislation ���������������������������������������������������������������� 46 Figure 9: Institutions’ ways of ensuring pluralism . 49 Figure 10: Gender balance among staff of NHRIs ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 53 Figure 11: NHRIs’ advice to governments ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 54 Figure 12: NHRIs’ power to investigate individual complaints of human rights violations ������������������������������������������������������������������� 62 Figure 13: NHRIs’ cooperation with CSOs ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 63 Figure 14: NHRIs’ use of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 79 Figure 15: Areas in which NHRIs use the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������