NHRIs champion women’s and girl’s rights amid global challenges
The Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) concluded its 2025 Annual Conference with the adoption of a comprehensive outcome statement committing national human rights institutions (NHRIs) to concrete actions to advance gender equality and protect the rights of women and girls worldwide.
The conference, held in Geneva on 12 March 2025, brought together NHRI representatives from all regions to address the role of NHRIs in promoting gender equality against a backdrop of growing threats to women’s rights globally.
The meeting marked a significant moment as it coincided with the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the 25th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace, and security.
Survey reveals NHRIs priorities and challenges
A comprehensive survey conducted by GANHRI ahead of the conference, with responses from over 50 NHRIs from all four regions, provided insights into NHRI initiatives and challenges in addressing gender equality. The survey revealed three key priority areas for women’s and girls’ rights: equality and non-discrimination, eliminating violence, and changing discriminatory norms and gender stereotypes.
The survey highlighted how NHRIs employ diverse implementation strategies, including legal and policy advice, investigative mechanisms, awareness and advocacy campaigns, and international partnerships.
These approaches are tailored to address the specific needs of priority focus groups as identified in the survey, including women and girls with disabilities, women human rights defenders, older women, and women in remote and rural areas.
Urgent call for action amid global challenges
In opening remarks, GANHRI Chairperson Maryam Al-Attiyah highlighted the escalating crises that threaten progress on gender equality, including armed conflicts, climate change, and increasing pushback against established human rights frameworks.
“Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right but also a prerequisite for peaceful, sustainable, and just societies,” said Al-Attiyah. “Yet we face alarming setbacks that require our renewed commitment and concrete action.”
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk addressed participants, emphasising that protecting women’s rights demands stronger international cooperation and legal accountability. He commended NHRIs for their crucial role as independent monitors of human rights implementation at national levels.
Human Rights Council President Jürg Lauber emphasized that NHRIs are essential partners of the council, nothing their fundamental role in “promoting and advancing gender equality at the national level” and providing “credible, independent, and evidence-based information” on human rights implementation. Lastly, UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner, speaking via video message, cautioned that “progress is uneven, fragile, and too often reversible,” while highlighting NHRIs as “vital bridges, translating international commitments into tangible improvements in the daily lives of women and girls.”
NHRI responses to gender-based violence
The conference examined effective strategies for NHRIs to address gender-based violence, which remains pervasive worldwide. Dr Beate Rudolf from the German Institute for Human Rights presented groundbreaking work on data collection regarding violence against women, which led to significant legal reforms in Germany.
“Our comprehensive monitoring revealed that shelters for women experiencing violence were severely underfunded and inaccessible to many vulnerable groups,” Rudolf explained.”By combining quantitative evidence with legal analysis, we successfully advocated for a new federal law establishing legal entitlement to protection services.”
The Ombudsperson of Colombia, Iris Marín Ortiz, shared how her institution’s work in conflict-affected areas had documented alarming rates of violence against women.
“In 2024 alone, we recorded five femicides per week in Colombia. Women are targeted not only by intimate partners but also as a result of the ongoing armed conflict,” she stated.
Several NHRIs reported on their efforts to improve legal and policy frameworks, with NHRI representatives from Chile, Georgia, Morocco, and Palestine highlighting successful initiatives to reform family laws, combat domestic violence, and improve women’s political participation.
Ensuring pluralism within NHRIs
A key focus of discussions was the importance of gender balance and diversity within NHRI structures themselves. The Asia Pacific Forum presented findings from a gender baseline assessment of member institutions showing that while women were well-represented at junior levels, they remained underrepresented in leadership positions.
Chikondi Chijozi, Chairperson of the Malawi Human Rights Commission, emphasised the importance of inclusivity in NHRI composition: “Our commission has made conscious efforts to ensure gender and disability representation, with five female commissioners including two members with disabilities. This diversity strengthens our advocacy and ensures our work addresses the needs of all marginalised groups.”
OHCHR’s Deputy Chief of National Institutions and Regional Mechanisms Section, Cynthia Radert, stressed that pluralism goes beyond numerical representation: “The Paris Principles require NHRIs to reflect their societies’ diversity in composition and operations. This means examining how complaint procedures, monitoring protocols, and reporting mechanisms integrate gender perspectives.”
Education and combating stereotypes
Multiple speakers highlighted the transformative potential of education in challenging harmful gender stereotypes. The conference heard powerful testimony from youth advocate Dejana Stosic, who called on NHRIs to engage more effectively with young people.
“When a girl sees what is possible, she knows what she can demand,” said Stosic. “But education alone is not enough without strategies that recognise local realities, which is where NHRIs play a critical role.”
NHRIs from Armenia, Nepal, and Sierra Leone shared effective practices in working with traditional and religious leaders to challenge cultural norms that perpetuate discrimination against women and girls.
Forward commitments
The outcome statement (EN｜FR｜ES｜AR) adopted unanimously by participants commits NHRIs to:
- Ensure gender diversity in leadership and governance structures
- Institutionalise gender-responsive policies within NHRIs
- Develop comprehensive gender action plans aligned with international standards
- Embed intersectionality in their work to address multiple forms of discrimination
- Strengthen cooperation across regions to share best practices
- Engage with the UN system to develop stronger international standards
Reflecting on the conference, outgoing GANHRI Chairperson Al-Attiyah remarked: “The discussions have demonstrated that gender equality is neither a utopia nor a slogan. It’s an achievable goal requiring our concerted efforts.”
The outcome statement also calls on partners including OHCHR, UNDP, and the European Union to support NHRIs in implementing these commitments through coordinated capacity-building programmes.
With the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development approaching its target date, participants emphasised that accelerating progress on gender equality is essential for achieving all Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 5 on gender equality.
Photo credits: Marion Loddo/GANHRI