What are NHRIs?
NHRIs are independent bodies, established by law or by
the constitution of their country, to promote and protect
human rights. Importantly, they operate independently from
government.
Strong and effective NHRIs help bridge the “protection gap”
between the rights of individuals and the responsibilities of
the State by:
•
Monitoring the human rights situation in the country and
making their findings available to the public
•
Providing advice to government so that laws and policies
reflect national and international human rights standards
•
Receiving, investigating and resolving complaints so that
victims of human rights violations can seek redress
•
Delivering human rights education programs that help
change attitudes and behaviour
•
Engaging with the international human rights
community to raise pressing issues and advocate for
recommendations that make a difference back home.
Unlike in Africa, the Americas and Europe, there is no
regional human rights court or protection system in the Asia
Pacific to which people can turn when their rights are
violated. This makes the role of the APF and our member
NHRIs even more critical.
Our point of difference
The APF is one of four regional coordinating committees of
NHRIs. Regional coordinating committees have also been
established to support the NHRIs of Africa, the Americas
and Europe. Based in Geneva, the Global Alliance of
National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) promotes the
establishment and operation of NHRIs in compliance with
the Paris Principles.
What sets the APF apart is the breadth and diversity of
the services we offer our members, including thematic
capacity development programs, leadership services,
and an innovative capacity assessment program. We
provide opportunities for collaboration and specialist
advice on NHRI legislation and international accreditation
for our members, governments in the region and other
stakeholders. We also continue to be a leader among NHRI
bodies in promoting and monitoring gender equality.
APF Annual Report 2021-2022
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