Providing advice and expertise

Strong and effective national human rights institutions play a crucial role in holding governments to account for their obligation to respect, protect and fulfil the human rights of all people within their borders.

We provide advice and expertise to governments and civil society organisations in the region to promote the establishment of independent national human rights institutions that meet the standards set out in the Paris Principles.

We also provide advice and expertise to our members to on a range of issues, including strengthening their legislation, assisting them with international accreditation and helping develop robust policy and practice.

For example, we facilitate a High Level Dialogue for Commissioners to engage newly-appointed Commissioners in a conversation on their responsibilities and their individual and collective goals.

We also provide support when invited to contribute to a strategic planning process or integrating a focus on gender equality into organisational policy and practice.

The Advisory Council of Jurists (ACJ) provides independent advice to the APF on the interpretation and application of international human rights law to the pressing issues of the region.

Since its establishment in 1998, the ACJ has considered a wide range of human rights issues and produced reports and recommendations that have directly shaped the work of our members and contributed to genuine reform in different countries.