“The Law does not establish a process for the allocation of the CHRAJ budget but indicates that administrative expenses, including salaries, allowances, and pensions payable to staff, are charged to the State´s Consolidated Fund.

CHRAJ notes that, in practice, it prepares its budget based on the budget ceiling prepared by the Ministry of Finance and following consultation, the budget is presented to Parliament by the Ministry. The CHRAJ reports that, it is however advocating for a process that will no longer require the submission of its budget to the Parliament through the Ministry of Finance for vetting as recommended by the CRC.

The SCA encourages the CHRAJ to continue to advocate for a process that will ensure its financial autonomy, including the implementation of the CRC recommendations regarding the establishment of an Independent Constitutional Fund to be able to submit the budget directly to Parliament and include this process in relevant legislation.

The SCA refers to Paris Principle B.2 and to its General Observation 1.10 on ‘Adequate funding’.”