20
survey results
In the OSCE region, there
are three principal NHRI
models:
45%
of NHRIs are
human rights commissions with an explicit
human rights mandate.
11% of NHRIs are
ombudsperson offices
with a general maladministration mandate, and
no specific human rights
mandate.
26% of NHRIs are
hybrid institutions,
combining human rights
and maladministration
mandates.
Other less common models include human rights
advisory commissions
and research institutes.
!
The ODIHR survey suggests that neither model
can be considered more
or less conducive to protecting and promoting
women’s rights or gender
equality.
HANDBOOK FOR NHRIs ON WOMEN’S RIGHTS AND GENDER EQUALITY
The United Nations Principles relating to the Status
of National Institutions (The Paris Principles)12 formulate the minimum standards an NHRI must meet
to be considered credible by its peers and within the
UN system. These include a broad mandate, autonomy
from government, independence, pluralism, adequate
resources and adequate powers of investigation. 13
There are a variety of acceptable nomenclatures and
models of NHRIs. No single terminology or nomenclature is generally accepted as definitive. In fact, the
proliferation of institutions that have a wide range of
mandates and institutional features has made the task
of classifying NHRIs more, rather than less, complex
over the years. The Paris Principles set out minimum
standards for the roles and responsibilities of NHRIs
but do not dictate how NHRIs are to be organized at
the national level.
That said, NHRIs can be grouped in three main categories in the OSCE: human rights commissions, ombudsperson offices and hybrid institutions.
Human rights commissions have an explicit human
rights mandate to investigate human rights violations,
combined with broader advisory and educational roles.
They are sometimes established to address specific
issues, such as anti-discrimination or equality. In most
cases, however, they have responsibilities over the full
range of human rights.
12 United Nations General Assembly Resolution A/RES/48/134,
20 December 1993, Annex 1.
13 For further information see: National Human Rights Institutions:
History, Principles, Roles and Responsibilities, OHCHR Professional
Learning Series No. 4 (Rev.1), OHCHRHR/P/PT/4/Rev.1, 2010.
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