Chapter III: The role of National Institutions for Human Rights in the promotion and protection of human rights Preface The role of national human rights institutions, through their constitutional mandate or the legislature, focuses on the field of “promotion and protection of human rights”. This role has been clearly demonstrated in the Paris Principles relating to the status of national institutions in promoting and protecting human rights as a constitution for their work and an active element in the promotion and protection of human rights in the state system. The role of these institutions in the promotion is done through spreading a human rights culture by various means, including conferences, training courses, workshops and lectures targeting the general public, or specific target groups, as well as training in the field of human rights, and the publication and printing of educational brochures related to the work of national institutions, as the lack of knowledge of the principles of human rights among all segments of society is a strong reason for violations. Therefore, the promotion of human rights concepts and entrenched awareness of such rights contributes to providing protection for all of those rights. The protection of human rights is the main pillar corresponding to the role of national institutions in the promotion of these rights. This was clear in the “Paris Principles”, especially when those principles awarded quasi-judicial competencies to the national institutions through their authority to receive complaints related to human rights, and studying and referring them to the competent authorities in addition to follow-up; Also, to enlighten relevant parties with the procedures to be followed and help them implement or assist in settling such issues with the concerned authorities. The role of national institutions in the field of protection also includes: undertaking the process of monitoring everything that would prejudice the right of individuals to the enjoyment of rights and public freedoms prescribed for them. The monitoring process constitutes a necessary procedure to ensure the degree and the extent of the State’s respect of its relevant legal obligations or international human rights. Such protection also requires the national institutions to conduct field visits to places that are likely to witness human rights violations. Therefore, this chapter will address the role played by the NIHR in the promotion and protection of human rights in two main branches: the first is dedicated to show its activities in the field of promotion of human rights, while the second is dedicated to review its efforts in the protection of those rights. 41