UN Third Committee highlights vital role of national institutions
A United Nations human rights committee has highlighted the valuable role that national human rights institutions play in the international system, especially through the Human Rights Council
A United Nations human rights committee has highlighted the valuable role that national human rights institutions (NHRIs) play in the international system and the importance of their continued participation.
A resolution recently adopted by the General Assembly’s Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Affairs Committee (commonly referred to as the ‘Third Committee’) drew attention to the positive contribution made by NHRIs in the UN system, “especially in the Human Rights Council, including its universal periodic review mechanism and the special procedures, as well as in the human rights treaty bodies.”
The resolution also called on all UN human rights bodies and mechanisms to cooperate with NHRIs to further promote and protect human rights, which will help reinforce the interconnection of human rights at the national and international level.
It welcomed the growing international cooperation among NHRIs, especially through the International Coordinating Committee, and the strengthened accreditation procedures recently adopted by the ICC.
The resolution also noted the work of regional human rights networks of NHRIs, including the Asia Pacific Forum, and welcomed their organisation of regular forums to engage governments, non government organisations and others in discussion on shared human rights concerns.
At the domestic level, the Third Committee said that NHRIs had a vital role to strengthen the rule of law and promote and protect human rights in all sectors of society and it encouraged their cooperation, “where appropriate, with the United Nations system, as well as with the World Bank, other international financial institutions and non-governmental organisations.”
The Committee also recognised the constructive role that the judiciary, parliament and civil society can play, in cooperation with national institutions, for better promotion and protection of human rights.
The resolution encouraged Member States to establish “effective, independent and pluralistic national institutions” or, where they already exist, to strengthen them “by giving them an investigative role or enhancing such a role”.
It also urged the Secretary-General to continue to give high priority to requests from Member States for assistance in the establishment and strengthening of national human rights institutions.
An important part of the Third Committee’s work focuses on the examination of human rights questions, including reports of the special procedures of the Human Rights Council.
Other resolutions adopted by the Committee related to the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; the moratorium of the death penalty; and the role of Ombudsmen, mediators and other national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights.
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