STATUTES

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GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Our General Assembly is our highest decision making body, in which all members participate. It shapes the guiding principles of our policies and activities and adopts the strategic plan, annual budget and operational plan.

The General Assembly usually meets bi-annually: in March, on the occasion of the Annual Meeting of the Global Alliance of NHRIs in Geneva, and in the autumn. Decisions are taken by consensus where possible and, only when required, by vote of A-status NHRI members.

General Assembly meeting ( 28 October 2024 - Brussels, Belgium)

Board

Our Board is made up of six elected A-status NHRIs. Led by the Chair, it drives our strategic priorities and is responsible for the network’s management and administration. The General Assembly elects the Chair for a three-year term. They oversee the direction and management of ENNHRI and serve as the network’s primary representative. Each Board member also has a three-year mandate.

The current Chair and Board started their terms together on 10 March 2025.

Louise Holck
ENNHRI Chair
Danish Institute for Human Rights

Simona Drenik Bavdek
Institution of the Human Rights Ombudswoman of the Republic of Slovenia

Tamar Gvaramadze
Office of the Public Defender (Ombudsman) of Georgia

Alyson Kilpatrick
Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission

Dmytro Lubinets
Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights

Beate Rudolf
German Institute for Human Rights

What does it mean to be part of the board?

In this video, our current six Board Members say what serving in this position means to them personally, and why it is of such importance.

They also outline the meaning of ENNHRI as a network, and how this played a role in their motivation.

Finance Committee

Our Finance Committee, led by its Chair, oversees our financial situation and fundraising and makes proposals to the Board and General Assembly to strengthen our financial outlook. The Finance Committee also advises the Secretariat on financial administration and makes recommendations on membership fee waiver applications.

Finance Committee 2025-2028

  • Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (Lorraine Hamill) – Chair
  • Equality and Human Rights Commission – Great Britain (Alan Sharman)
  • German Institute for Human Rights (Michael Windfuhr)
  • Swedish Institute for Human Rights (Tobias Rahm)
ENNHRI’s Finance Committee Chair, Lorraine Hamill, presenting to the General Assembly (Brussels, 28 October 2024)
ENNHRI’s Finance Committee Chair, Lorraine Hamill, presenting to the General Assembly (Brussels, 28 October 2024)

Permanent Secretariat & Secretary-General

Our Secretariat is based in Brussels, Belgium. Established in 2013, it supports and facilitates our work and provides a central contact point for stakeholders. The Secretariat undertakes the day-to-day management of the network by implementing the Strategic Plan and annual operational plans, as well as the decisions of the Chair, Board and General Assembly.

The Secretariat is directed and managed by the Secretary-General, Debbie Kohner.

ENNHRI Secretariat before the ENNHRI General Assembly (Brussels, 28 October 2024)

Working Groups

Our Working Groups have expertise in various thematic areas, such as: European legal structures; economic, social and cultural rights; asylum and migration; and communications. The Working Groups take a lead in our substantive engagement on these topics. They also offer a platform for learning and solidarity among members, and facilitate regional responses from NHRIs in specific thematic areas.

Learn more:

Representatives from ENNHRI’s Working Groups presenting recent activities to the General Assembly (Brussels, 28 October 2024)