As per Sections 12 and 15 of the Act, the SHRC submits its annual and inquiry reports to Parliament. The SHRC reported that in practice their advocacy has resulted in parliamentary debate time and consideration of the SHRC’s findings. However, the enabling legislation does not provide for these reports to be debated by Parliament.

The SCA considers it important that the enabling law of an NHRI establish a process whereby its reports are required to be widely circulated, discussed and considered by the legislature. 

The SCA encourages the SHRC to advocate for changes to its enabling legislation to make explicit the procedure by which its reports will be discussed and considered once they are submitted to Parliament. 

The SCA refers to Paris Principle A.3 and to its General Observation 1.11 on ‘Annual reports of NHRIs.