National Human Rights Institutions

For the past 15 years, the Danish Institute for Human Rights (DIHR) has cooperated with National Human Right Institutions (NHRIs) worldwide and assisted them in becoming more effective mechanisms for the protection and promotion of human rights and rule of law. These efforts have resulted in a large number of projects and programs in Africa, Asia, Latin-America, the Middle East and Eurasia.

As one of the initial established NHRIs in the world, we have a deep insight into the mandate, structure and legal foundation of NHRIs as well as hands-on experience with structures and processes that can be considered essential for the effective functioning of NHRIs. Despite basic differences between NHRIs around the world, the fact remains that all NHRIs share common objectives formulated in the UN Paris Principles, and this commonality of objectives leads to common “effectiveness factors” that need to be in place.

Building a stronger organization together

The premise for our approach to collaborating with other NHRIs is a strong partnership approach. DIHR is, first and foremost, a sister organization, which is active in the various regional and global NHRI networks in order to strengthen NHRIs in their ability to carry out their domestic mandates and develop the working methods of the institutions. We regard this as a twofold obligation: On the one hand, an obligation to assist the NHRIs in developing countries and, on the other hand, an obligation to support the UN human rights system, which depends on effective NHRIs. Thus, DIHR engages with NHRIs in a long term collaboration process that stretches beyond any specific assignment, we may take up.

The essential first step for DIHR is always to ensure that the NHRI-leadership is fully on board for the process. DIHR works from the premise that all organizational change processes need to be guided and driven by the top management in order to have the necessary transformative power. As part of our approach, DIHR typically includes capacity development of the leadership, enabling it to take on the responsibilities of communicating the vision of the organization and carrying the change process forward.

In this way DIHR, so to speak, builds capacity from within and anchors organizational development-processes solidly in the central structures and processes of the organization, rather than attempting to drive the change forward by way of experts, technical tools or ad-hoc and disconnected organizational development-sections within the organization. At the same time, DIHR’s approach is highly participatory, seeking to build ownership of the organizational development-process within all parts of the organization through involvement, communication and team collaboration. Staff has an important role in identifying capacity gaps and opportunities, and strategies should be directed toward strengthening the NHRI as a whole, including developing the capacities of individual staff has an important role in identifying capacity gaps and opportunities, and strategies should be directed toward strengthening the NHRI as a whole, including developing the capacities of individual staff and making communication and team-work more effective and rewarding.