“The SCA acknowledges that the PA’s staff and budget have increased since 2014. However, the PA reports that the level of funding is insufficient to meet its human resources needs, including retaining full-time staff in its regional offices.

The SCA emphasizes that, to function effectively, an NHRI must be provided with an appropriate level of funding in order to guarantee its independence and its ability to freely determine its priorities and activities. It must also have the power to allocate funding according to its priorities. In particular, adequate funding should, to a reasonable degree, ensure the gradual and progressive realisation of the improvement of the NHRI’s operations and the fulfillment of its mandate, including salaries and benefits awarded to its staff comparable to those of civil servants performing similar tasks in other independent institutions of the State.”