On 14 March 2023, representatives from 40 European National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) came together in Geneva for ENNHRI’s first General Assembly of 2023. The meeting took place in the context of the 2023 Annual Meeting of the Global Alliance of NHRIs (GANHRI).

The meeting opened with a report on ENNHRI’s recent activities to achieve its goal to enhance the promotion and protection of human rights across Europe. In addition, members discussed ENNHRI’s upcoming Baseline Study on the implementation of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers’ Recommendation on NHRIs.

ENNHRI’s members also considered a new opportunity for enhancing their institutional capacity and impacts in-country: a new small grants scheme, which can help both national and transnational activities to promote and protect human rights.

Following a proposal of the Board to exclude the Human Rights Commissioner of the Russian Federation (the Russian NHRI) from ENNHRI membership, the General Assembly also had an opportunity to discuss the grounds, options and implications of such a proposal. A decision on the Board’s proposal will be taken at an extra-ordinary General Assembly meeting on 11 April 2023, and the membership rights of the Russian NHRI are suspended until that time.
 
While acknowledging the challenges facing NHRIs and other human rights defenders in the current context, gathering in Geneva enabled ENNHRI’s members to (re)connect with their counterparts from other regions. Such bonds and links are the basis of a regional and global community, which NHRIs together form to promote and protect human rights for all.

Find out more information on GANHRI’s 2023 Annual Meeting.