BackAt the beginning of December, a UN General Assembly Resolution on National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) was passed by consensus, enjoying cross-regional support and co-sponsored by 70 UN member states.
The resolution welcomes the participation of NHRIs in UN mechanisms and processes in both Geneva and New York. It takes the landmark step to request the UN Secretary General to present in his next report to the General Assembly a vision for NHRI participation UN system-wide on the same basis that they do at the Human Rights Council.
The resolution highlights the value of NHRIs in the continued monitoring of existing legislation and constantly informing the State about its impact on the activities of human rights defenders (paragraph 4 bis). It also recognizes that NHRIs should not face any form of reprisal or intimidation as a result of their mandated activities (paragraph 8). Furthermore it underlines the importance of the autonomy and independence of Ombudsman institutions (paragraph 13) and encourages national institutions, including Ombudsman and mediator institutions, to seek accreditation status through the International Coordinating Committee (paragraph 17).
