Empowering the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission

What we do

Since May 2020, the Danish Institute for Human Rights has been working with the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission to build its capacity, helping it gain full independence and become an effective organisation that holds expertise to strategically lift its mandated tasks, including mainstreaming the rights of women, children and vulnerable groups.

The engagement of the Institute in Ethiopia started in May 2020 with a pilot cooperation with the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission. This was followed by the project “Empowering Ethiopian Human Rights Commission 2020-2024” funded by the Danish Embassy, Norwegian Embassy, GIZ, Netherlands Embassy and UK Aid, and the project “Ethiopian Human Rights Commission addressing critical human rights concerns nationwide” (2022 to 2024) funded by the European Union.

Since 2020, the Danish Institute for Human Rights has contributed towards an amendment of the founding law of the Commission paving the way to enhanced independency. The amended law was adopted by parliament in 2020. In 2021, the Commission received an A accreditation by the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) as a result of their independent and transparent work as a national human rights institution in Ethiopia.

The Commission carries out independent investigations of human rights violations. They regularly publish reports and statements in cases of human rights violations. When the Commission proposes recommendations, public authorities and others have started to implement those.

Activities under the Empowering Ethiopian Human Rights Commission project

During the four-year project period we support the Commission in:

• Reorganizing the Commission and upgrading of physical offices, equipment and vehicles
• Installing of ICT infrastructures in head quarter and branch offices
• Developing strategic plans and implementation of activities
• Capacity development of staff and leadership
• Exchange visits to fellow NHRIs
• Developing tools and methods in mandate areas

Funded by the Danish Embassy, Norwegian Embassy, GIZ, Netherlands Embassy and UK Aid

Activities under the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission addressing critical human rights concerns nationwide project

In the on-going project we support the Commission in:

• Re-enforcing the Commission’s regional branch offices
• The Commission’s role in the transitional justice process undergoing in the country
• The conduction of monitoring, investigation, and advocacy on human rights violations in conflict areas
• Developing strategies, plans, tools and manuals on a rapid response mechanism and an early warning mechanism

Funded by the European Union

Other activities

In addition to the two projects, we support the Commission to strengthen its work on Business and Human Rights. This entails: 

• Enhancing awareness on the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGP) among national stakeholder and promoting respect for human rights in business operations
• Facilitating the development of a National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights and engagement with regional initiatives
• Strengthening the Commission’s capacity to monitor and investigate business-induced human rights abuses and environmental degradation
• Facilitating capacity building and peer-to-peer learning on mainstreaming and/or enhancing the Commission’s role in promoting and protecting digital rights

Funded by DANIDA