This includes facilitating NHRI engagement with regional mechanisms and international bodies including the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI), the UN Human Rights Council, and UN Treaty Bodies.
The APF, its member institutions and other partner organisations seek to support and engage with the various human rights protection systems across the region.
Unlike Europe, Africa and the Americas, the Asia-Pacific does not have a region-wide inter-governmental system – such as treaties, courts, commissions or other institutions – to protect and promote human rights.
While NHRIs in the Asia Pacific have been active at the international level – individually and collectively – to raise human rights issues and collaborate with UN bodies and experts, their engagement with regional mechanisms has been limited.
Our Inter-governmental Mechanisms (IGM) Project, funded by the European Union, helped address this gap by providing opportunities for representatives of NHRIs and regional IGMs to meet together, discuss their work in relation to human rights, climate change and the environment, and identify areas for collaboration.
Learn moreThe Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) supports the establishment and strengthening of independent NHRIs worldwide, ensuring they meet the Paris Principles. The APF and its members contribute significantly to GANHRI's operations and initiatives, fostering cooperation among NHRIs and engaging with international organisations.
Learn moreThe UN Human Rights Council is dedicated to global human rights promotion. The APF has successfully advocated for 'A status' NHRIs to gain independent participation rights, including speaking rights during the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and nominating candidates for Special Procedures mandate-holders. These rights, achieved through a year-long advocacy campaign, allow NHRIs to contribute their expertise directly to the Council's work.
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There are nine core international human rights treaties.
Since the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948, all UN Member States have ratified at least one core international human rights treaty, while 80 per cent have ratified four or more.
Human rights treaty bodies are committees of independent experts that monitor the implementation of these treaties. They are created by the treaty that they monitor and their main function is to consider the reports of States Parties.
Some treaty bodies allow NHRIs opportunities to participate in the reporting process, such as:
NHRIs also have a key role to play in the follow-up to the reporting process, particularly through encouraging their government to implement the recommendations made by the treaty bodies and to monitor progress in this area.
This manual outlines the practical ways that NHRIs can engage with the international human rights system to highlight issues and advocate for change.
Read more Read more about International Human Rights and the International Human Rights System: A Manual for NHRIs
