Opening Remarks at the Commonwealth Conference of National Human Rights Institutions
Date: 26 Feb 2007
Speaker: Fatima, Head of Human Rights
Location: Marlborough House, London, UK
Secretary General, Deputy Secretary General, Distinguished Participants, Friends and Colleagues,
It is a pleasure to welcome you all to the 3rd Commonwealth Conference of National Human Rights Institutions. Since the last Commonwealth NHRI meeting in Cambridge in 2000, which some of you may have attended, there have been many changes and new developments, some of which will form the subject of our discussion and reflection in the next three days. But there are solid principles, standards and best practices which have remained in place to guide our work, and which we might together reaffirm this week.
We are very pleased indeed to have here with us representatives from 25 Commonwealth national institutions and other human rights bodies, as well as colleagues from OHCHR, APF, ECOWAS, British Council, and other partner organizations with whom we work very closely. I am particularly pleased to welcome amongst us colleagues from Rights and Democracy, who have generously contributed towards holding this meeting.
Secretary General, before I call upon you to kindly open the meeting, I wish to take a few minutes to share a few notes on the objective and significance of this meeting.
The Commonwealth: Human Rights, National Institutions, HRU
In 1995 the Millbrook Commonwealth Action Programme of the Harare Declaration had requested the Secretariat to provide advice, training and other forms of technical assistance to governments in promoting Commonwealth’s fundamental values, including assistance in creating and building the capacity of national institutions.
The Secretariat’s Human Rights Unit’s activities focus principally on awareness raising, advocacy, and capacity development, and an important part of our mandate includes assisting member countries to establish strong and independent national institutions, and also to assist national human rights institutions to effectively carry out their mandate.
In 2000, representatives from 41 Commonwealth countries and NHRIs met in Cambridge in a meeting organized by the Secretariat to develop consensus on the Paris Principles. A principle outcome of that meeting was the elaboration in 2001 of the ‘Best Practice for NHRIs in the Commonwealth’. These Guidelines are now accepted and used widely in the Commonwealth and elsewhere in relation to the process of establishment, appointment and operation of national human rights bodies. Part of our purpose in gathering this week is to review experiences in fulfilling mandates, and to reaffirm the Best Practices. [We will have Professor Brian Burdekin, one of the key authors of the Best Practices to speak more about that later in the morning].
Recognising the centrality of NHRIs to the protection of human rights, HRU has been involved in a range of advisory and capacity building activities with NHRIs and with the authorities in countries seeking to establish them. In doing so, given our modest resources, we have always tried to work closely with all local stakeholders, and with OHCHR and other agencies and partners. In countries seeking to establish or develop such institutions, we have offered our institutional support to an inclusive national consultative process, and to ensuring strong political commitment to an independent and adequately funded body with appropriate appointments. [We are happy to have here representatives from the Maldives and Cameroon national institutions, which have both recently experienced a process of re-constitution, which we supported.]
We recognize that there is no “one size fits all” when it comes to national mechanisms. In some cases, the function is adequately fulfilled by mandating the Office of the Ombudsperson to defend the human rights of citizens. In other countries, a more substantial institution is indicated. Recognizing that there is no one form of national institution, is one reason why we decided to invite to this meeting, representatives from Ombudspersons’ Offices and to hear from them.
Networking Commonwealth NHRIs
Secretary General, Dear Participants,
Among other issues, an important subject that this meeting will address will be on how to consolidate the evolving community of C-NHRIs into a dynamic and representative network or forum, for the purposes of sharing and articulating the common experiences and legitimate expectations of these vital institutions, and for the better defence and promotion of human rights in Commonwealth countries.
For us in HRU, the idea of working towards some kind of forum or formal network for C-NIs seems now the logical next step after developments in recent years which have helped to crystallize Commonwealth national institutions into a more discernable, distinct and coherent community. The 2000 Cambridge meeting set in motion a process that has brought us here. Working regionally the HRU has brought C-NIs, and government and human rights defenders, together to network and share common challenges and opportunities under a Commonwealth umbrella. The recently concluded British Council project for Commonwealth NHRIs for instance, has also helped to shape and solidify the group now assembled here.
So with this legacy, and as well as reflecting on experiences since the Cambridge Conference, and reaffirming the principles of the Commonwealth’s ‘Best Practice’, a primary purpose of this meeting is for participants to consider the merits of establishing a forum of Commonwealth NHRIs.
Secretary General, while a third of Commonwealth members have national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights, and while some others are either working towards the establishment of such an institution, or have other national mechanisms with a ‘human rights’ mandate (including offices of the Ombudsman), at present there is no shared formal mechanism, institution or forum for NHRIs in the Commonwealth for receiving, sharing or giving joint expression to matters that might be of common interest or concern. For example, there is no forum for formal interaction with bodies such as CHOGM.
It is envisioned that such a forum might facilitate networking and partnerships for capacity building between Commonwealth NHRIs, and with others, and enable countries working towards a national institution to better draw on the experience of established institutions. A forum, premised on the commitment to political and human rights values with which the Commonwealth is widely associated, might also provide a platform for joint advocacy or standard-raising, and for increased collective interaction between C-NHRIs and governments, civil society organisations, and international bodies, including at events such as CHOGM or meetings of the UN Human Rights Council.
We look forward to a full discussion on this idea and convergence of views to take this forward as further consolidation of the NHRI movement in the Commonwealth.
With this background, it is my honour now to request you, Secretary General, to make your statement and to officially open the Conference.
Thank you.
