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Since December 2023, one major change has been noticed in the accreditation status of the NHRIs. In April 2023, the Swedish Institute for Human Rights applied for international accreditation status. To make way for this accreditation, the Swedish Equality Ombudsman resigned its accreditation as an NHRI. Following the agreement between the two institutions, the Swedish Equality Ombudsman informed the Sub-Committee on Accreditation that it intended to withdraw its membership as soon as the Swedish Institute’s membership was approved.
Out of the 34 institutions surveyed, 18 have applied or reapplied for (re)accreditation; 15 of these are institutions with A-status. Despite the Bulgarian Commission for Protection against Discrimination’s B-status and non-accreditation of the Romanian Institute for Human Rights and the People’s Advocate of Romania, the three institutions have each submitted an application for the reaffirmation of their accreditation status.
As shown in Table 1, there are currently five institutions not accredited: the Public Defender of Rights of Czechia, the National Guarantor for the Rights of Persons Detained or Deprived of Liberty of Italy, the Parliamentary Ombudsman of Malta, the People’s Advocate of Romania and the Romanian Institute of Human Rights.
Table 1 – Accreditation status of national human rights institutions as of 1 December 2024
Country |
Name of institution |
Accreditation status |
Austria |
Austrian Ombudsman Board |
A-status |
Belgium |
Federal Institute for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights (FIRM) |
B-status |
Belgium |
Interfederal Equal Opportunities Centre (Unia) |
B-status |
Bulgaria |
Commission for Protection against Discrimination |
B-status* |
Bulgaria |
Ombudsman of the Republic of Bulgaria |
A-status* |
Croatia |
Ombudswoman of the Republic of Croatia |
A-status* |
Cyprus |
Commissioner for Administration and the Protection of Human Rights |
A-status |
Czechia |
Public Defender of Rights |
Institution not accredited |
Denmark |
Danish Institute for Human Rights |
A-status* |
Estonia |
Chancellor of Justice |
A-status* |
Finland |
Human Rights Centre |
A-status* |
Finland |
Parliamentary Ombudsman |
A-status* |
France |
National Consultative Commission on Human Rights |
A-status* |
Germany |
German Institute for Human Rights |
A-status |
Greece |
Greek National Commission for Human Rights |
A-status |
Hungary |
Commissioner for Fundamental Rights |
B-status |
Ireland |
Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission |
A-status* |
Italy |
National Guarantor for the Rights of Persons Detained or Deprived of Liberty |
Institution not accredited |
Latvia |
Ombudsman’s Office of the Republic of Latvia |
A-status |
Lithuania |
The Seimas Ombudsperson’s Office (Lithuania) |
A-status* |
Luxembourg |
Consultative Human Rights Commission of Luxembourg |
A-status |
Malta |
Parliamentary Ombudsman |
Institution not accredited |
Netherlands |
Netherlands Institute for Human Rights |
A-status* |
Poland |
Commissioner for Human Rights |
A-status* |
Portugal |
Portuguese Ombudsman |
A-status* |
Romania |
People’s Advocate |
Institution not accredited* |
Romania |
Romanian Institute for Human Rights |
Institution not accredited* |
Slovakia |
Slovak National Centre for Human Rights |
B-status |
Slovenia |
Human Rights Ombudsman of the Republic of Slovenia |
A-status |
Spain |
Ombuds institution of Spain/Defensor del Pueblo |
A-status* |
Sweden |
Swedish Institute for Human Rights |
A- status* |
Albania |
People’s Advocate of the Republic of Albania |
A-status |
North Macedonia |
Ombudsman of the Republic of North Macedonia |
B-status |
Serbia |
Protector of Citizens of the Republic of Serbia |
A-status* |
Source: FRA, December 2024.
NB: * indicates (re)accreditation application since the December 2023 update.