OSCE/ODIHR helps human rights institutions’ staff improve professional skills

Senior and mid-level national human rights institutions (NHRI) staff took part in a practical training course led by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). The course was held at the first NHRI Academy, which was organized jointly with the European Network of National Human Rights Institutions (ENNHRI) and the School of Public Policy (SPP) at Central European University, in Budapest from 23 to 27 June 2014.

Thirty-four participants representing NHRIs from across the OSCE area discussed challenges they face in their work and ways to promote and protect human rights more effectively.

“National human rights institutions are a fundamental pillar of the human rights architecture, as they contribute to the implementation of internationally recognized human rights standards at the national level,” said Snježana Bokulić, Head of the ODIHR Human Rights Department, at the opening of the Academy. “These institutions are therefore ODIHR’s natural allies and key partners in strengthening respect for fundamental freedoms and human rights in the OSCE area.”

Already in 1990 in Copenhagen, OSCE participating States pledged to “facilitate the establishment and strengthening of independent national institutions in the area of human rights and the rule of law.” Mandated to oversee implementation of human rights at the national level, NHRIs in many OSCE participating States have become leaders in addressing human rights violations and bringing policy change.

Bernhard Knoll, Director of Professional Development at the School of Public Policy, said: “The Academy creates an environment for sharing good practice among peers, and facilitates co-operation between NHRIs and other organizations working in the field of human rights.”

Vyacheslav Tolmachev, Counsellor to the Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation, said: “The Academy was more than just a venue for exchange and networking; it also introduced new approaches to human rights protection, and offered an opportunity to clarify a number of important questions, such as interaction with the international human rights bodies.”

Professor Alan Miller, the Chair of the European Network of National Human Rights Institutions, said: “We hope that the success of this week's programme may lead to it becoming an important annual event and part of strategic co-operation between ENNHRI and ODIHR.”