The Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) is an independent, non-partisan, international non-governmental organisation, mandated to ensure the practical realisation of human rights in the countries of the Commonwealth. In 1987, several Commonwealth associations founded CHRI because they felt that while the member countries had both a common set of values and legal principles from which to work and a forum within which to promote human rights, there was relatively little focus on human rights issues.
CHRI's objectives are to promote awareness of and adherence to the Harare Commonwealth Declaration, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and other internationally recognised human rights instruments, as well as domestic instruments supporting human rights in Commonwealth member states.
Through its biennial CHOGM reports and periodic fact finding missions CHRI continually draws attention to progress and setbacks in human rights in Commonwealth countries. In advocating for approaches and measures to prevent human rights abuses, CHRI addresses the Commonwealth Secretariat, member-state governments and civil society associations. By holding workshops and developing linkages, CHRI's approach throughout is to act as a catalyst for activity around its priority concerns.
CHRI is accredited to the Commonwealth and, since 2002, also holds Observer Status with the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights.
CHRI has also been granted Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations in July 2005.
Contact:
B-117 2nd floor,
Sarvodaya Enclave,
New Delhi – 110017, India
Tel: (91) 11 2685 0523, (91) 11 2652 8152, (91) 11 2686 4678
Fax: (91) 11 2686 4688
E-mail: chriall@nda.vsnl.net.in
Web: http://www.humanrightsinitiative.org/
CHRI Africa Office
c/o The British Council,
PO Box GP 771,
Accra, Ghana
Tel: (233) 21 683068, (233) 21 683069, (233) 21 683070
Fax: (233) 21 683062
E-mail: mailto:chri@britishcouncil.org.gh
CHRI Trustee Committee
28 Russell Square,
London WCIB 5DS, UK
Tel: (44) 20 7862 8857
Fax: (44) 20 7862 8820
E-mail: chri@sas.ac.uk