GLOBAL ALLIANCE OF
NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS INSTITUTIONS (GANHRI) - INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
News: Geneva-based UN-related body
to review India’s human rights accreditation status this week
What's in the news?
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The meeting of the Sub-Committee on Accreditation
(SCA) of the UN-recognised Global Alliance of National Human Rights
Institutions (GANHRI) worldwide will be held on May 1.
Key takeaways:
●
India’s processes under scanner after GANHRI
deferred the country’s rating in 2023; criticism included lack of pluralism,
appointing police officials, ruling party members to NHRC.
Concerns in NHRC
Accreditation:
●
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) is
preparing to defend the government’s human rights processes at a meeting in
Geneva this week, where a decision on whether India’s human rights body will retain its “A status” is expected to be
made.
●
The NHRC’s ratings were put on hold in 2023 over
concerns on its composition procedure,
the presence of police personnel in human rights investigations, and the lack
of gender and minority representation.
●
The decision over whether the NHRC is given an A
rating or a B rating would affect its ability to vote at the UN Human Rights
Council and some UNGA bodies.
Global Alliance of
National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI):
●
Established as the International Coordinating
Committee of institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights in
1993.
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Renamed as GANHRI in 2016.
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It is a group
of 16 human rights agencies (4 from each region) – the Americas, Europe,
Africa, and the Asia-Pacific, that have the Highest Rating (‘A’) for following
the Paris Principles.
Members:
●
120 members (88- A status and 32- B status NHRI’s) – India is a member.
Secretariat – Geneva, Switzerland.
Functions:
●
It accredits National Human Rights Institutions
(NHRI) with a ‘A status’ (full
compliance) or ‘B status’ (partial compliance) based on their adherence in
meeting the requirements of the Paris Principles.
●
They also support NHRI’s in capacity building and
on various thematic areas to improve human rights.
Paris Principles:
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Developed at a United Nations meeting held in Paris
in 1991.
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Sets out the minimum
standards required by national human rights institutions to be considered
credible and to operate effectively.
6 Main Criteria for
Accreditation:
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A clearly defined and broad-based mandate based on
universal human rights standards
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Autonomy from government
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Independence guaranteed by legislation or the
constitution
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Pluralism
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Adequate resources
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Adequate powers of investigation
Accreditation by the
GANHRI:
●
In a unique peer-review-based accreditation
process, GANHRI ensures individual NHRIs’ compliance with internationally
recognised standards – the Paris Principles to ensure their independence,
pluralism and accountability.
●
GANHRI, through the Sub-Committee on Accreditation (SCA), is responsible for reviewing
and accrediting NHRIs in compliance with the Paris Principles.
An NHRI is reviewed by
the SCA when:
●
It applies for initial accreditation.
●
It applies for re-accreditation
every five years.
●
The circumstances of the NHRI change in any way
that may affect its compliance with the Paris Principles.
Status of Accreditation:
● NHRIs that are assessed as complying with the Paris Principles are accredited with ‘A status’, while those that partially comply are accredited with ‘B status’.