“The enabling law does not provide the CHRAJ with an explicit mandate to interact with regional and international human rights systems, or to encourage ratification or accession to regional and international human rights instruments.

Encouraging ratification of, or accession to, regional and international human rights instruments, and the monitoring of the effective implementation of those instruments to which the State is a party, is a key function of an NHRI. The SCA considers it important that these duties form part of the enabling legislation of an NHRI.

SCA further emphasizes that monitoring and engaging with regional and international human rights systems, in particular the Human Rights Council and its mechanisms (Special Procedures and Universal Periodic Review (UPR)) as well as the United Nations Human Rights Treaty Bodies, can be an effective tool for NHRIs in the promotion and protection of human rights domestically.

The SCA acknowledges that the CHRAJ has provided advisory opinions to the government on the ratification of international instruments, and that it interacts with regional and international human rights systems. The SCA encourages the CHRAJ to advocate for amendments to its enabling law to explicitly mandate it with responsibility to both interact with regional and international human rights systems, and to encourage ratification of or accession to regional and international human rights instruments.”