Report on the International Seminar on National Mechanisms for Implementation, Reporting and Follow-up in the field of human rights

The international seminar gathered representatives of national mechanisms for implementation, reporting and follow-up (NMIRFs) and governments from 20 countries, as well as experts, national human rights institutions and international and regional organisations. Its main objective was to provide an opportunity for NMIRFs to exchange experiences and discuss modalities for future peer-to-peer exchanges, in line with recently resolutions of the UN Human Rights Council and in complement with OHCHR’s efforts to strengthen NMIRFs.

The seminar was a milestone activity of the Danish Institute for Human Rights' (the Institute) work with governmental human rights focal points. Over the years, many of the Institute’s governmental partners have expressed the willingness to learn from each other, notably in the MENA region.

The Institute furthermore attentively follows the operational and normative developments around the concept of ‘national human rights systems’. In that respect, the rising UN agenda on NMIRFs and their rapid spread around the world is of key interest. As flagged by participants to the seminar, it is important to better understand the interactions between NMIRFs and national stakeholders, in particular NHRIs. NHRIs and NMIRFs are distinct and complementary actors in national human rights systems, and both are needed.

The mandates of NMIRFs also need further consideration: participants identified the need to unpack the implementation mandate of NMIRFs, which is a primary responsibility of governments that requires to requires to look at NMIRFs roles and operations beyond efficient international reporting and follow-up.

In conclusion to the seminar, participants representing NMIRFs and governments adopted the ‘Marrakech Declaration’, in which they notably decided to ‘establish an international network aiming to institutionalise the cooperation, partnership, dialogue and the exchange of expertise and experiences among NMIRFs’.

In complement to the report itself, and in order to provide readers with a full records of the Seminar, this publication page also features all the PowerPoint presentations supporting the interventions of participants to the Seminar. Original interventions and slides were in three languages: the ones presented here are English translations commissioned by the Danish Institute for Human Rights. Wording therefore shall not engage the presenters.