National Human Rights Institutions

A/HRC/RES/51/31View PDF

Who created this mandate?

A Resolution of the Human Rights Council, under agenda item 8Follow-up to and implementation of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, published in 2022.

What other versions does this mandate have?

8 versions · 2018–2025

This is an older version — the most recent is A/RES/80/214

2025A/RES/80/214National human rights institutionsLatestCompare with previous version
2024A/HRC/RES/57/23National human rights institutionsCompare with previous version
2023A/RES/78/204National human rights institutionsCompare with previous version
2022A/RES/76/170National human rights institutionsCompare with previous version
2022A/HRC/RES/51/31National human rights institutionsCompare with previous version

Versions are identified automatically by matching titles within the same organ (~97% accuracy on a manual audit).

What subjects does this mandate have?

5 topics

Financing Human Rights Advancement Human Rights Institutions Public-Private Partnerships Technical Cooperation

Which reports were submitted under this mandate?

2 reports of the Secretary-General submitted under this mandate, 2024.

2024A/HRC/57/65National institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights report of the Secretary-General
2024A/HRC/57/66Activities of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions in accrediting national institutions in compliance with the Principles relating to the Status of National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights (Paris Principles) report of the Secretary-General

Identified automatically from the metadata in each report’s UN Digital Library catalogue record.

What does this mandate say?

30 operative paragraphs

Welcomes the most recent reports of the Secretary-General submitted to the Human Rights Council on national human rights institutions and on the activities of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions in accrediting national institutions in compliance with the principles relating to the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (the Paris Principles);

Encourages States to establish effective, independent and pluralistic national human rights institutions or, where they already exist, to strengthen them to enable the effective fulfilment of their mandate to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, as outlined in the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, and to do so in accordance with the Paris Principles;

Stresses the importance of the financial and administrative independence and the stability of national human rights institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights, notes with satisfaction the efforts of those States that have provided their national human rights institutions with more autonomy and independence, including by giving them an investigative role or enhancing such a role, and encourages other Governments to consider taking similar steps;

Also stresses that national human rights institutions and their respective members and staff should not face any form of reprisal or intimidation, including political pressure, physical intimidation, harassment or unjustifiable budgetary limitations, as a result of activities undertaken in accordance with their respective mandates, including when taking up individual cases or when reporting on serious or systematic violations, and calls upon States to promptly and thoroughly investigate cases of alleged reprisal or intimidation against members or staff of national human rights institutions or against individuals who cooperate or seek to cooperate with them and to bring perpetrators to justice;

Encourages all relevant United Nations mechanisms and processes, in accordance with their respective mandates, including the Economic and Social Council, including the Commission on the Status of Women, and the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Open-ended Working Group on Ageing, and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including the high-level political forum on sustainable development and related global and regional processes, as well as the Sustainable Development Goals Summit, to further enhance the participation of national human rights institutions compliant with the Paris Principles and to allow for their contribution to these United Nations mechanisms and processes, bearing in mind the relevant provisions dealing with their participation contained in General Assembly resolution 60/251 of 15 March 2006, Human Rights Council resolutions 5/1 of 18 June 2007, 5/2 of 18 June 2007 and 16/21 of 25 March 2011 and Commission on Human Rights resolution 2005/74 of 20 April 2005;

Welcomes the important role of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions, in close cooperation with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, in assessing conformity with the Paris Principles and in assisting States and national institutions, when requested, to strengthen national human rights institutions in accordance with such principles, also welcomes the continuing number of national institutions seeking accreditation status through the Global Alliance, and encourages relevant national institutions, including ombudsman institutions, to seek accreditation status;

Encourages the Secretary-General and all United Nations human rights mechanisms and relevant United Nations agencies, funds and programmes, working within their respective mandates, to continue to give high priority to requests from States for assistance in the establishment and strengthening of national human rights institutions, to work with States and national human rights institutions in the protection and promotion of human rights, and to strengthen United Nations system-wide coordination in support of national human rights institutions;

Recognizes the contribution that national human rights institutions have made to the promotion and protection, and prevention of violations, of human rights by exercising their mandates and functions consistent with the Paris Principles, and encourages them to continue to do so, including by:

Independently assisting, advising and engaging with the State, and other stakeholders, in the prevention of violations and abuses of human rights;

Encouraging the ratification, and ensuring the implementation, of international human rights treaties;

Promoting legal, policy and procedural reforms, including to promote and ensure the harmonization of national laws and practices with the international human rights instruments to which a State is a party, and their effective implementation;

Cooperating with the United Nations system, including by contributing, as appropriate, to follow-up actions to the recommendations made by international human rights mechanisms;

Conducting and promoting at all levels practical and relevant human rights training and education, and raising public awareness and advocacy about the promotion and protection of human rights and efforts to combat all forms of discrimination;

Working with non-governmental organizations devoted to promoting and protecting human rights and economic and social development, combating racism and protecting groups subject to particular vulnerabilities, marginalization or intersecting forms of discrimination, or specialized areas;

Preparing and publicizing reports on the national situation with regard to human rights, drawing the attention of the Government to situations in any part of the country in which human rights are violated, making proposals to put an end to such situations and, where necessary, expressing an opinion on the positions and reactions of the Government;

Supporting transparent and meaningful engagement by States in regional and international human rights forums by making contributions, in accordance with their independent mandates, to the reports that States are required to submit to United Nations bodies and committees and to regional institutions pursuant to their treaty obligations;

Enhancing their work in the context of climate change by studying and identifying how the adverse effects of climate change, including sudden and slow-onset disasters, directly and indirectly affect the full and effective enjoyment of human rights, and considering challenges to addressing and preventing these adverse effects when making recommendations to strengthen the integration of human rights concerns into policymaking, legislation and plans addressing climate change;

Continuing to monitor, report to and advise government bodies and other stakeholders on the implementation of human rights, including in the context of the design and implementation of mitigation and adaptation policies, practices, investments and other projects on climate change;

Acknowledges that, in the performance of their key functions, in accordance with their mandates and with the Paris Principles, national human rights institutions are supporting the establishment and maintenance of inclusive societies, and in doing so are contributing to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, including by:

Assisting States to adopt effective frameworks to promote and protect human rights, which are applied equally to protect the rights of all individuals without discrimination on any grounds, including race, colour, gender, age, disability, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status;

Contributing to building the capacity of States to prevent and reduce discrimination and violence through effective national-level legislation, regulation, policies and programmes, including those that guarantee equal access, rights and opportunities for all, including equal access to justice and participatory decision-making;

Contributing to the progressive realization of economic, social and cultural rights for all;

Contributing to the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women and girls and of sexual and gender-based violence;

Contributing to the fight against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and other related intolerance, all forms of hate speech, and religious intolerance and its manifestations, including hate crimes and incitement to hatred, and fostering cohesive societies that respect and celebrate diversity and multiculturalism;

Contributing to addressing multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination that can increase the vulnerability to violence and discrimination of persons with disabilities, Indigenous Peoples, refugees and migrants, persons who are socioeconomically disadvantaged, persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities, and other individuals in vulnerable situations or belonging to marginalized groups;

Working with businesses to fulfil their commitment to respect human rights in accordance with human rights law, and to support initiatives aimed at protecting victims of human rights abuses, including through the dissemination and implementation of the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights;

Encourages all States and national human rights institutions to continue to take appropriate steps to maintain a legislative or policy framework compliant with the Paris Principles and to promote cooperation, the exchange of information, the sharing of experience and the dissemination of best practices concerning the establishment and effective operation of national human rights institutions, including their contribution to the establishment and maintenance of inclusive societies and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda;

Invites national human rights institutions to include in their cooperation the exchange of best practices on strengthening their liaison role between their Governments and civil society, Indigenous Peoples, persons belonging to minorities, minority groups and persons in vulnerable situations;

Requests the Office of the High Commissioner to continue and to strengthen its work with national human rights institutions, including through technical cooperation, capacity-building activities and advice, urges the High Commissioner to ensure that appropriate arrangements are made and budgetary resources are provided to continue and further extend activities in support of national human rights institutions, including through increased support for the work of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions and its regional networks, and invites Governments to contribute additional voluntary funds to that end;

Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the Human Rights Council, at its fifty-seventh session, a report on the implementation of the present resolution that includes examples of best practices among national human rights institutions, prepared in consultation with States, national human rights institutions and other relevant stakeholders, and a report on the activities of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions in accrediting national institutions in compliance with the Paris Principles.

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What does this mandate say?

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