GANHRI raises the alarm over increasing number of reprisals and threats against independence of National Human Rights Institutions at HRC51
29 September 2022 – Ms Ilze Brands Kehris, Assistant Secretary General for Human Rights, presented today the annual report on cooperation with the United Nations.
GANHRI intervened during the interactive dialogue and expressed serious concern over reprisals against those who engage or seek to engage with UN bodies and mechanisms and is particularly alarmed by attacks on the independence of the national human rights institution and its members which are a real and ever-growing threat.
According to findings from our Global Consultation with NHRI members to support the protection and promotion of human rights defenders and civic space, “1 in 3 NHRIs – in all regions – have reported threats and reprisals on work done according to their mandate, including as a result of their cooperation with the United Nations” said Maryam Al Attiyah, GANHRI Chairperson.
In our written statement we called on States and the UN to ensure that protective mechanisms and procedures are established to preserve channels of communication and denunciation between NHRIs and regional and international human rights mechanisms.
Finally, we reiterated our commitment to protect the independence of all our members facing threats or reprisals for undertaking their work according to their mandate, with the support of our partners OHCHR and UNDP, civil society and member states.
