4. The role of the State The central responsibility for protecting human rights rests with Governments. In recent decades, most countries have become parties to the major human rights treaties. Each instrument imposes legal obligations to implement, nationally, the human rights standards contained in those treaties. In ratifying an international human rights treaty, a State assumes the responsibility to respect, protect and fulfil the rights it contains. To respect means that the State cannot take any action or impose any measure that is contrary to the rights guaranteed by the treaty. To protect means that the State must take positive action to ensure that an individual is not denied his or her human rights. Mechanisms through which human rights are protected must be put in place. Adequate legislation, an independent judiciary, the enactment and enforcement of individual safeguards and remedies, and the establishment and strengthening of democratic institutions—all require State action. The responsibility to fulfil requires a State to take positive steps beyond mere prevention. This might, for example, go beyond the enactment of laws to promoting human rights through national education and information campaigns. When States ratify a human rights instrument, they have to ensure that the rights become part of or are recognized by the national legal system. States are required to take “all appropriate steps”, including but not only legislative steps, to ensure that rights are realized at the State level. These steps are what is meant by “effective national implementation” and this has generated much international interest and action. The emergence or re-emergence of democratic rule in many countries has focused attention on the importance of democratic institutions like NHRIs as one of the key factors in implementing international obligations. 5. Regional networks Regional and subregional networks and associations of NHRIs are an important complement to the international system. Regional networks of NHRIs have the right to participate in the Human Rights Council as observers and to engage with its various mechanisms (see below). They enable institutions from the same region to meet and discuss issues of common concern more frequently. These networks are: ■■ The Network of African National Human Rights Institutions; ■■ The Network of National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights in the Americas; ■■ The Asia-Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions; and ■■ The European Group of National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights. In its resolution 63/172, the General Assembly welcomed the strengthening in all regions of regional cooperation among NHRIs and between them and the regional human rights networks (see annex VII below). Africa The Network of African National Human Rights Institutions was established in 2007.8 It encourages African NHRIs, in conformity with the Paris Principles, to be more effective and to cooperate. The Network has recognized the significant role that NHRIs can play in elections and in democratic governance more broadly, promoting democracy and development, and supporting judicial independence. 8 The Network replaced the Coordinating Committee of African NHRIs, set up in 1996. Its Constitution was signed at the sixth Conference of African NHRIs (Kigali, October 2007) and provides for a permanent secretariat in Nairobi with the financial support of OHCHR. 5