The Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission was established under the Bonn Agreement and commenced operations following a Decree of the President of the Interim Administration of Afghanistan on 6 June 2002.

On 7 January 2004, the Commission became constitutionally entrenched following the adoption of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan by the Loya Jirgah (the Afghan Grand Assembly).

The Commission's establishing law – the Law on the Structure, Duties and Mandate of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission – was adopted by the Afghanistan Cabinet and enacted by the President of Afghanistan on 2 May 2005.

The Commission's GANHRI accreditation was suspended in 2022 following the Taliban's occupation of government in Afghanistan.