Strong and independent National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) play a key role in achieving the realisation of human rights at the national level. While most European countries have established NHRIs, some have not yet done so. We provide support to different actors, such as national authorities and civil society organisations, in their efforts to establish NHRIs in compliance with the UN Paris Principles.

The role of NHRIs in promoting and protecting human rights has been recognised by different bodies at the UN, Council of Europe and EU levels. In fact, the UN identifies the existence of independent NHRIs in compliance with the UN Paris Principles as one of the indicators of peaceful and inclusive societies (Goal 16 of the Sustainable Development Goals).

We support the establishment of NHRIs in Europe by:

• Raising awareness of governments, parliaments and civil society on the role, function and value of NHRIs
• Providing advice to states when establishing an NHRI in compliance with the UN Paris Principles, and providing guidance on models that can fit the national context
• Liaising with regional and international bodies, such as Council of Europe and the EU, to encourage and advise states to establish an NHRI in compliance with the UN Paris Principles

We provide support through our Secretariat and through our Accreditation Support Group, a pool of experts from across the ENNHRI membership that represents a variety of NHRI models.

Our Accreditation Support Group gathers ENNHRI members with expertise in NHRI accreditation and establishment from different types of institutions across Europe. » Learn more