APF consultations on Pakistan NHRI bill
A delegation from the APF and the OHCHR recently met with parliamentarians and civil society organisations in Pakistan to discuss the draft bill establishing the country’s national human rights institution.
The creation of a national human rights institution in Pakistan is a
step closer to reality following the government’s introduction of
proposed legislation into the national parliament on 17 December
2008.
The bill, which is yet to be debated and passed, aims to establish a national human rights institution with broad powers to promote and protect human rights in Pakistan.
At the request of Pakistan’s ‘Parliamentarians Commission for Human Rights’, representatives from the Asia Pacific Forum (APF) and Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) travelled to Islamabad to participate in consultations on the bill on 18 and 19 December.
Their role was to discuss the existing international standards that apply to the establishment of a national human rights institution – particularly the Paris Principles and the emerging General Observations of the International Coordinating Committee’s Sub Committee on Accreditation – prior to parliament debating the proposed legislation.
The delegation held three half-day consultations with civil society organisations; the Parliamentarians Commission for Human Rights; and with members of the relevant Parliamentary Committees from both houses of parliament.
They also met individually with the Secretary of the newly created Ministry for Human Rights.
At these consultations the delegation highlighted:
- the requirement for a clear and transparent selection process for Commission members
- the capacity for the Commission’s membership to represent all social groups in Pakistan
- the capacity for the new institution to operate independently, and
- the need for the new institution to have financial security and autonomy.
The delegation included Dato’ S. K. Choo (representing the current APF Chair), Mr Rory Mungoven (OHCHR) and Mr Greg Heesom (APF Secretariat).
They were greatly assisted by the executive officers of the Parliamentarians Commission for Human Rights and in particular its Chief Coordinator, Mr Shafique Chaudhry.
Further assistance was provided by the United Nations Development Program (Pakistan) and the Malaysian High Commissioner, His Excellency Ahmad Shahizan.
Read more
- Media
report of the consultations with civil society organisations (The
International News, 19 December 2008)
