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6
February
2024

NHRI accreditation status and mandates - update 2024

The 2024 update on NHRIs accreditation status and mandates also covers their engagement in the monitoring of fundamental rights compliance in the use of EU funds at national level. Moreover, the update also shows how NHRIs make use of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights in their work when advising government or in education, training and awareness raising activities. Since its 2020 report 'Strong and effective national human rights institutions – challenges, promising practices and opportunities', the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) has been regularly tracking the accreditation status and mandates of NHRIs.

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 *

Belgium

Interfederal Centre for Equal Opportunity and the fight against racism and discrimination (Unia)

B-status

Bulgaria

Commission for Protection against Discrimination

B-status

Bulgaria

Ombudsman of the Republic of Bulgaria

A-status

Croatia

Ombudswoman of the Republic of Croatia

A-status

Cyprus 

Commissioner for Administration and the Protection of Human Rights

A-status

Czechia

Public Defender of Rights

Institution not accredited

Denmark

Danish Institute for Human Rights

A-status

Estonia

Chancellor of Justice

A-status

Finland 

Finnish Human Rights Centre

A-status *

Finland 

Parliamentary Ombudsman

A-status *

France

National Consultative Commission on Human Rights

A-status

Germany

German Institute for Human Rights

A-status *

Greece 

Greek National Commission for Human Rights

A-status

Hungary

Office of the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights

B-status

Ireland

Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission

A-status

Italy

National Guarantor for the Rights of Persons Detained or Deprived of Liberty

Institution not accredited

Latvia

Ombuds institution’s Office of the Republic of Latvia

A-status

Lithuania

The Seimas Ombudsmen’s Office

A-status *

Luxembourg

Consultative Human Rights Commission of Luxembourg

A-status *

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

Institution not accredited

Netherlands

Netherlands Institute for Human Rights

A-status

Poland

Commissioner for Human Rights

A- status

Portugal

Portuguese Ombudsman

A-status *

Romania

People’s Advocate

Institution not accredited -
Applied for accreditation *

Romania

Romanian Institute for Human Rights

Institution not accredited -
Applied for accreditation *

Slovakia

Slovak National Centre for Human Rights

B-status

Slovenia

Human Rights Ombudsman of the Republic of Slovenia

A-status

Spain

Ombuds institution of Spain

A-status *

Sweden

Equality Ombudsman

B-status

Sweden

Institute for Human Rights

Applied for accreditation *

Albania

People's Advocate of the Republic of Albania

A-status

North Macedonia

Ombudsman of the Republic of North Macedonia

B-status

Serbia

Protector of Citizens of the Republic of Serbia

A-status

Note: * highlights (re)accreditation applications after the December 2022 update.