Belarus

At present, Belarus does not have an NHRI in place. 

In 2014, an international workshop was organised on the establishment of an NHRI in Belarus, at the initiative of the Council of Europe, and co-organised with UNICEF, OHCHR and the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  The workshop conclusions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicated ‘some doubts […] concerning the effectiveness of functioning of the NHRIs, in particular, possible duplication of the leverages available at governmental disposal for the promotion and protection of human rights and lack of the efficient tools to respond to most daunting problems within a society.’. At the same time, it was indicated that:: ‘The outcomes of the workshop will be taken into account for the elaboration of the common ground position by all governmental bodies on the advisability of establishment of a NHRI in Belarus’.

ENNHRI stands ready to support the Belarusian government or any other relevant stakeholder on how to proceed with the establishment of an NHRI in compliance with the Paris Principles in the country.

• Belarusian Diplomatic Service, Press Release ‘On the International Workshop “National Human Rights Institutions: Establishment and Functioning”, http://mfa.gov.by/en/press/news_mfa/e6eba56137949587.html