GANHRI 2024 Annual Report: NHRIs demonstrate resilience amid global challenges
The Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) 2024 Annual Report showcases how our alliance of 118 NHRIs continued to unite, promote, and strengthen human rights protection worldwide in a year marked by unprecedented global challenges.
Despite reporting reprisals and threats to their independence across all regions, NHRIs demonstrated remarkable resilience and effectiveness, working at the frontlines of human rights protection.
In line with the Paris Principles, NHRIs continued their vital work to monitor, investigate, advise, and engage with the international human rights system. This work has been instrumental in advancing justice and building inclusive societies worldwide.
Discover the full scope of our collective impact and how NHRIs are shaping human rights protection globally:
Key Achievements in 2024
Landmark UN recognition
Human Rights Council resolution 57/23 secured dedicated UN financial resources for NHRI accreditation sessions, including interpretation services in all GANHRI languages. This represents a powerful endorsement from the UN for GANHRI’s work and will significantly improve accessibility and effectiveness of the accreditation process.
Leading global torture prevention
GANHRI adopted a Shared Approach to support members implementing the Kyiv-Copenhagen Declaration and launched a comprehensive webinar series on torture prevention, that continued through 2025.
Climate justice advocacy
NHRIs amplified their voices in climate justice discussions at COP 29, where GANHRI coordinated the participation of eight NHRIs and convened a symposium with more than 130 participants. GANHRI also issued an Open Letter calling on governments to place human rights at the centre of their climate action policies.
Historic UN visibility
Following strong GANHRI advocacy, our first formal participation in the UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, through our Secretary, marked a historic moment for NHRI recognition in UN processes. This milestone reinforced the essential role NHRIs play in sustainable development and human rights implementation.
Standing against reprisals
Our “Standing Strong: Challenges and Reprisals against NHRIs and Human Rights Defenders” report, based on a global consultation among NHRIs, documented widespread threats against human rights defenders globally and provided concrete recommendations for protection.
Advancing rights for all
- We championed disability rights through Human Rights Council resolution 57/23 emphasizing NHRIs’ critical role in promoting, protecting, and monitoring the rights of persons with disabilities.
- We established a new Caucus on Indigenous Peoples’ Rights, bringing together 22 NHRIs from all regions.
- We strengthened advocacy for older persons through our Working Group on Ageing and the Human Rights of Older Persons and significant participation by 22 NHRIs in the 14th session of the UN Open-Ended Working Group on Ageing.
Click here to explore the full picture of our 2024 key highlights.
Our Impact
GANHRI’s global reach in numbers
● 118 member NHRIs across all four regions (91 ‘A status’ and 27 ‘B status’).
● 20 events and discussions organized or co-hosted for members and partners.
● Over 220 representatives participated in the 2024 GANHRI Annual Meeting in Geneva.
● More than 80 NHRIs adopted the Outcome Statement on the role of and experiences of NHRIs in relation to business and human rights.
Supporting NHRIs under threat
GANHRI continued to protect members facing threats, reprisals, or attacks on their independence through close coordination with regional networks, UN partners, and civil society.
The annual NHRI resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council reminded States of their responsibility to promptly investigate cases of alleged reprisal and intimidation.
Strengthening the Global Alliance
GANHRI enhanced its governance and operations through strategic partnerships, including the Tripartite Partnership with OHCHR and UNDP (supported by Norway), and the Strong NHRIs project with the European Union, which entered its third phase, working closely with the four regional networks..
We coordinated capacity-building projects for NHRIs in 13 countries, developed monitoring tools for environmental rights and digital preparedness, and supported NHRI participation in global meetings.