2013 SEO Network Meeting

Senior executive officers from APF member institutions and other human rights bodies in the region met in Sydney in June 2013 to share their experiences of managing the day-to-day operations of a national human rights institution (NHRI).

The two-day meeting, hosted by the Australian Human Rights Commission, provided members of the APF's Senior Executive Officers Network with an opportunity to reflect on their respective roles and responsibilities, as well as the qualifications and skills necessary to be effective organisational leaders. Also attending were representatives from the NHRIs of Oman and Samoa.

"National human rights institutions are unique organisations, both in the work they do and their relationship to government and civil society," said Kieren Fitzpatrick, Director of the APF secretariat.

"Managing staff, budgets and a wide range of concurrent projects, while also upholding the NHRI's commitment to operational and financial independence, can be a very demanding position to fulfil."

Mr Fitzpatrick said the workshop allowed senior executive officers to have an open conversation with others who understood the particular challenges presented in such a role.

For example, one discussion centred on the principles of effective organisational design and development for NHRIs, drawing on lessons learned through the organisational review recently conducted by the New Zealand Human Rights Commission.

Other workshop sessions provided an exchange of information on:

• National laws and internal NHRI rules and procedures that seek to promote good governance and accountability and avoid conflicts of interest and corruption
• Steps taken to implement recommendations made to those NHRIs that have participated in capacity assessment reviews, facilitated by the APF, UNDP and OHCHR
• Working with the media to promote human rights awareness and to advocate for recommendations made by NHRIs.

The APF also provided participants with an update on upcoming training programs for APF staff and Commissioners; preparations for the 2013 APF Annual Meeting and Biennial Conference; the current project to review the work of NHRIs on sexual orientation and gender identity; and follow-up activities to the Amman Declaration and Programme of Action on Women and Girls.

Meeting papers and presentations

Program

Amman Declaration and Programme of Action (English, Arabic, French and Spanish)

APF Regional Action Plan on the Human Rights of Women and Girls (English and Arabic)

APF Engagement on the Human Rights of Women and Girls and on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

ICC General Observations on Good Governance (unapproved version)

Engaging the Media on Human Rights