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28
September
2021

September 2021 update - NHRI accreditation status and mandates

National human rights systems and bodies
Support for human rights systems and defenders
Since September 2020, three National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) had a change in their accreditation status, two new institutions were created and nine have had a change in tasks covered by their mandates. Following up on the September 2020 report “Strong and effective national human rights institutions – challenges, promising practices and opportunities”, this update provides an overview of developments in the accreditation status and mandates of NHRIS in the past 12 months. The update covers the 27 EU Member States as well as three additional states within FRA’s mandate (Albania, North Macedonia and Serbia).
Download 2020 NHRI report
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28 September 2021
September 2021 update – NHRI accreditation status and mandates (214.88 KB)
Overview

National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) play a crucial role in the protection and promotion of human rights on the national level. Their mandate focuses on addressing human rights issues nationally, but they also ensure links to regional and international human rights protection mechanisms. NHRIs raise awareness, provide advice, undertake monitoring and hold authorities to account with the aim of promoting respect for and upholding of fundamental rights.

The tables in the two tabs in this section provide an update of data in the following 2 areas:

Accreditation status
Country Name of Institution Accreditation status
Austria Austrian Ombudsman Board B-status and applied for re-accreditation
Belgium Federal Institute for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights (FIRM) Institution not accredited
Belgium Interfederal Centre for Equal Opportunity and the fight against racism and discrimination (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 B-status
Czechia Public Defender of Rights Institution not accredited
Denmark Danish Institute for Human Rights A-status
Estonia Chancellor of Justice A-status
Finland Finnish 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 Office of the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights A-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 Ombuds institution’s Office of the Republic of Latvia A-status
Lithuania The Seimas Ombudsmen’s Office A-status
Luxembourg Consultative Human Rights Commission of Luxembourg A-status
Malta Human Rights and Equality Commission 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 - Applied for accreditation
Romania Romanian Institute for Human Rights Institution not accredited - Applied for accreditation
Slovakia Slovak National Centre for Human Rights B-status
Slovenia The Human Rights Ombudsman of the Republic of Slovenia A-status
Spain Ombuds institution of Spain A-status
Sweden Equality Ombudsman B-status
Sweden Institute for Human Rights New institution - not yet accredited
     
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

Note: Cells with a yellow background colour highlight changes since the 2020 report 'Strong and effective national human rights institutions - challenges, promising practices and opportunities'.

Source: FRA, September, 2021

Mandates
 
NHRI (or nearest equivalent) Mandates
  Promotion and protection of human rights Ombuds institutions with a mandate on maladministration National preventive mechanisms under OPCAT National monitoring mechanisms under CRPD Equality bodies with a mandate on equal treatment Monitoring of forced returns (EU Returns Directive) Reporting on trafficking in human beings (EU directive) Protecting freedom of movement and mobility rights in the EU Other mandates Number of mandates per NHRI
Austrian Ombusman Board X X X X           4
Federal Institute for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights (FIRM) (Belgium) X     X X         3
Interfederal Centre for Equal Opportunity and the fight against racism and discrimination (Unia) (Belgium) X     X X     X X 5
Commission for protection against discrimination (Bulgaria) X     X X     X X 5
Ombudsman of the
Republic of Bulgaria		 X X X X   X   X   6
Ombudswoman of the Republic of Croatia X X X   X       X 5
Commissioner for Administration and the Protection of Human Rights (Cyprus) X X X X X X       6
Public Defender of Rights (Czechia)   X X X X X   X X 7
Danish Institute for Human Rights X   X X X         4
Chancellor of Justice (Estonia) X X X X X         5
Finnish Human Rights Centre X     X         X 3
Parliamentary Ombudsman (Finland) X X X X           4
National Consultative Commission on Human Rights (France) X     X     X   X 4
German Institute for Human Rights X     X           2
Greek National Commission for Human Rights X                 1
Office of the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights (Hungary) X   X   X       X 4
Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission X     X X     X X 5
National Guarantor for the Rights of Persons Detained or Deprived of Liberty (Italy)     X     X       2
Ombuds institution’s Office of the Republic of Latvia X X   X X X     X 6
The Seimas Ombudsmen’s Office (Lithuania) X X X             3
Consultative Human Rights Commission of Luxembourg X     X     X     3
Human Rights and Equality Commission (Malta)                   0
Netherlands Institute for Human Rights X     X X         3
Commissioner for Human Rights (Poland) X X X X X         5
Portuguese Ombudsman X X X X           4
People’s Advocate (Romania) X   X             2
Romanian Institute for Human Rights X                 1
Slovak National Centre for Human Rights X       X         2
The Human Rights Ombudsman of the Republic of Slovenia X X X             3
Ombuds institution of Spain X X X X   X       5
Equality Ombudsman (Sweden) X       X         2
Institute for Human Rights (Sweden) X     X           2
                     
People's Advocate
of the Republic of Albania		 X X X     X       4
Ombudsman of the Republic of North Macedonia X X X X     X   X 6
Protector of Citizens of the Republic of Serbia X X X             3
NHRIs per mandate 32 16 19 22 15 7 3 5 10 35

Note: Cells with a yellow background colour highlight changes since the 2020 report 'Strong and effective national human rights institutions - challenges, promising practices and opportunities'.

Source: FRA, September, 2021