OSCE/ODIHR Opinion on the Draft Amendments to the Act on Establishment of the
Slovak National Centre for Human Rights
NHRIs may also be reviewed if the legislation regulating them is amended.8 The SCA is
additionally developing “General Observations”, which clarify and further explain the
Paris Principles.9
14.
The importance that the United Nations ascribe to NHRIs in the promotion and
protection of human rights is documented by various resolutions of the UN General
Assembly and the UN Human Rights Council. 10 Additionally, the United Nations
Development Programme (hereinafter “UNDP”) and the Office of the United Nations
High Commissioner for Human Rights (hereinafter “OCHCR”) have published a
Toolkit for Collaboration with National Human Rights Institutions. The toolkit explains
the various models of NHRIs and provides guidance on how to support NHRIs in the
different phases of their existence, from their establishment to supporting their
development into more mature NHRIs and re-accreditation efforts.11
15.
OSCE participating States, in the Copenhagen Document of 1990, have committed to
facilitating “the establishment and strengthening of independent national institutions in
the area of human rights and the rule of law”.12 Other OSCE commitments have further
emphasized the important role that NHRIs play in the protection and promotion of
human rights, in particular, the Bucharest Plan of Action for Combatting Terrorism,
which tasks the OSCE/ODIHR with continuing and increasing “efforts to promote and
assist in building democratic institutions at the request of States, inter alia by helping to
strengthen […] ombudsman institutions”. 13 OSCE commitments also encourage the
establishment of NHRIs, such as Ombudsman institutions, to address discrimination
https://nhri.ohchr.org/EN/AboutUs/GANHRIAccreditation/Documents/SCA%20MARCH%202014%20FINA
L%20REPORT%20-%20ENGLISH.pdf. (hereinafter “2014 ICC Sub-Committee on Accreditation Report”) ;
see also UNDP-OHCHR Toolkit, op. cit. footnote 5, page 256.
8
Op. cit. footnote 5, page 241 (UNDO-OHCHR Toolkit).
9
The latest revised General Observations of the Sub-Committee on Accreditation, as adopted by the GANHRI
Bureau (hereinafter “General Observations”) at its Meeting held in Geneva on 21 February 2018, are available
at
http://nhri.ohchr.org/EN/AboutUs/ICCAccreditation/Documents/SCA%20GENERAL%20OBSERVATIONS
%20ENGLISH.pdf.
10
See e.g., UN General Assembly, Resolution no. 70/163 on National Institutions for the Promotion and
Protection of Human Rights, A/RES/70/163, adopted on 17 December 2015, available at
http://www.un.org/en/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/70/163; Resolutions nos. 63/169 and 65/207 on
the Role of the Ombudsman, Mediator and Other National Human Rights Institutions in the Promotion and
Protection of Human Rights, A/RES/63/169 and A/RES/65/207, adopted on 18 December 2008 and on 21
December 2010 respectively; Resolutions nos. 63/172 and 64/161 on National Institutions for the Promotion
and Protection of Human Rights, A/RES/63/172 and A/RES/64/161, adopted on 18 December 2008 and 18
December 2009 respectively; and Resolution no. 48/134 on National Institutions for the Promotion and
Protection of Human Rights, A/RES/48/134, adopted on 4 March 1994 – all available at
http://www.un.org/en/sections/documents/general-assembly-resolutions/index.html. See also the Resolution no.
27/18 on National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights of the UN human Rights
Council,
A/HRC/RES/27/18,
adopted
on
7
October
2014,
available
at
http://ap.ohchr.org/documents/dpage_e.aspx?si=A/HRC/27/L.25.
11
Op. cit. footnote 5, page 241 (UNDP-OHCHR Toolkit).
12
See
OSCE
Copenhagen
Document
(1990),
par
27,
available
at
http://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/14304?download=true.
13
See Bucharest Plan of Action for Combating Terrorism (2001), Annex to OSCE Ministerial Council Decision
on
Combating
Terrorism,
MC(9).DEC/1,
4
December
2001,
par
10,
available
at
http://www.osce.org/atu/42524.
6