Since December 2022, none of the National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) had a change in its accreditation status. In total, eleven NHRIs applied for accreditation or re-accreditation.
Both Romanian NHRIs, the Romanian People’s Advocate and the Institute for Human Rights, have a pending status, meaning they have applied for accreditation. The Swedish Institute for Human Rights applied for accreditation and membership in GANHRI on 14 April 2023, but has not yet been ranked by the Sub-Committee on Accreditation (SCA). The Swedish Equality Ombuds institution, currently a B-status-member of GANHRI, has informed the SCA that it intends to withdraw its membership as soon as the membership for the Swedish Institute has been approved. Institutions possessing an A-status accreditation, such as the Portuguese Ombudsman, the Consultative Human Rights Commission of Luxembourg, the German Institute for Human Rights, the Finnish Human Rights Centre and Parliamentary Ombudsman, and the Ombuds institution of Spain have formally initiated the process of seeking re-accreditation for their respective statuses. The Belgian Federal Institute for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights (FIRM) has submitted an application for the reaffirmation of its accreditation status, notwithstanding its current classification as a B-status institution.
Table 1 – Accreditation status of National Human Rights Institutions as of 1 December 2023
Country
Name of Institution
Accreditation status
Austria
Austrian Ombudsman Board
A-status
Belgium
Federal Institute for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights (FIRM)
B-status *
Interfederal Centre for Equal Opportunity and the fight against racism and discrimination (Unia)
B-status
Bulgaria
Commission for Protection against Discrimination
Ombudsman of the Republic of Bulgaria
Croatia
Ombudswoman of the Republic of Croatia
Cyprus
Commissioner for Administration and the Protection of Human Rights
Czechia
Public Defender of Rights
Institution not accredited
Denmark
Danish Institute for Human Rights
Estonia
Chancellor of Justice
Finland
Finnish Human Rights Centre
A-status *
Parliamentary Ombudsman
France
National Consultative Commission on Human Rights
Germany
German Institute for Human Rights
Greece
Greek National Commission for Human Rights
Hungary
Office of the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights
Ireland
Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission
Italy
National Guarantor for the Rights of Persons Detained or Deprived of Liberty
Latvia
Ombuds institution’s Office of the Republic of Latvia
Lithuania
The Seimas Ombudsmen’s Office
Luxembourg
Consultative Human Rights Commission of Luxembourg
Malta[3] The Human Rights and Equality Commission Bill setting up the Human Rights and Equality Commission in Malta has not been adopted yet by the Maltese Parliament. See Malta, Parliament, Bill No. 97 – Human Rights and Equality Commission Bill.
Human Rights and Equality Commission
Netherlands
Netherlands Institute for Human Rights
Poland
Commissioner for Human Rights
A- status
Portugal
Portuguese Ombudsman
Romania
People’s Advocate
Institution not accredited -Applied for accreditation *
Romanian Institute for Human Rights
Slovakia
Slovak National Centre for Human Rights
Slovenia
Human Rights Ombudsman of the Republic of Slovenia
Spain
Ombuds institution of Spain
Sweden
Equality Ombudsman
Institute for Human Rights
Applied for accreditation *
Albania
People's Advocate of the Republic of Albania
North Macedonia
Ombudsman of the Republic of North Macedonia
Serbia
Protector of Citizens of the Republic of Serbia
Note: * highlights (re)accreditation applications after the December 2022 update.