The 2014 NHRI Academy brings together mid-level and senior staff from 34 National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) from across the wider Europe region. It will provide practical training on how to address particular challenges that NHRIs face in their work and how to fulfill their role of promoting and protecting human rights more effectively. Facilitated by nine trainers, the Academy will also create an environment for sharing good practice between peers, and a platform to establish a common understanding for joint work and interventions by NHRIs.
Specifically, and beyond the obvious networking benefits, the Academy’s objectives are to strengthen the capacity of participants in four key areas:
(1) bringing institutions closer in line with the Paris Principles as regards their independence;
(2) mainstreaming gender into their work;
(3) conducting monitoring of human rights, including social and economic rights, more effectively; and
(4) interacting more effectively with UN bodies, with the aim of strengthening the implementation of international human rights standards on the national level.
The Academy is convoked by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR) and organized jointly with the European Network of NHRIs (ENNHRI) and SPP. The thematic areas for this first NHRI Academy have been chosen by NHRIs themselves through consultation at an ENNHRI strategic planning meeting, that took place from 13 to 15 November 2013 in Budapest. Since then, the ENNHRI Secretariat and an informal group consisting of NHRIs and members of the ENNHRI’s European Coordinating Committee have supported ODIHR in developing the Academy’s methodology and approaches.
NHRIs were invited to nominate trainers for particular sessions as well as members of their staff for participation in the Academy.
For the agenda and list of trainers and participants, please refer to our Participants’ Handbook.
Here you find a compilation of pre-Academy assignments and other materials.