National human rights action plans: An inventory

A critical research project into national human rights action plans

This inquiry is part of our research agenda exploring the ‘domestic institutionalisation’ dynamic at play in the field of human rights, especially since the 1990s. International organisations, state conferences, and eventually international law itself have promoted institutional innovations at the national level, as solutions to bridge the gap between human rights commitments and state practice. The objective of the research agenda is to understand these trends under the prism of norm diffusion and their actual influence on human rights implementation. How are institutional models created, how do they circulate, how are they adopted by states, and with what impact?

National Human Rights Action Plans (NHRAPs) constitute one of those models. The 1993 World Conference on Human Rights and its final statement – the ‘Vienna Declaration’ – encouraged states to adopt NHRAPs. This methodology aimed at designing comprehensive and pro-active public policies able to trigger implementation. To do so, it sought to use mainstream policy-making avenues, while being grounded national processes of consultations and systematic assessments.

A living inventory of all NHRAPs adopted by states

By gathering all information in one place, this page is hoped to become a resource for both researchers and practitioners.

Explore the research outputs:

• Sébastien Lorion’s study analysing state practice and decrypting trends in norms diffusion, based on the inventory of plans. The study is accessible in French here. The Spanish version of the study is accessible here.
   
• Annette Faye Jacobsen’s article taking Denmark and Sweden as case studies to show country’s socio-political traditions and specificities explain choices made in relation to NHRAPs.

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the UNDP and other intergovernmental organisations such as the Council of Europe have for some time promoted the adoption of NHRAPs by states, producing guidance and offering support. However, states for long did not resolutely engage with the tool, and the UN de-prioritised its promotion of NHRAPs after 2002, with new, alternative planning approaches emerging. Other intergovernmental organisations similarly alternated phases of active support or relative indifference to the tool.

Since 2017, NHRAPs have being revived. The UN Secretary General heralded them as a key element of national human rights systems, and the UN High Commissioners now systematically recommend to states to adopt a NHRAP in their Universal Periodic Review follow-up letters. Regionally, in 2019, the EU Fundamental Rights Agency established a working party on NHRAPs. Nonetheless, existing guidance has not been updated since the 2002 OHCHR Handbook, and lacks articulation with more recent planning models.

The corollaries of this variable interest in NHRAPs have been:

• a lack of overall data on their use by states
• a lack of research connecting and assessing past experiences of NHRAPs around the world
• mounting confusions over the concept of NHRAPs over time.

The present research project aims at setting the record straight in terms of state engagement with NHRAPs, tracing and analysing the development, evolutions and diffusion of NHRAPs models, and ultimately analysing how well this methodology actually helped enhancing human rights implementation in practice.

The immediate benefit that readers will find on this webpage is a first of its kind comprehensive inventory of all NHRAPs adopted since 1993, making up for the partial and outdated accounts that currently exists and give an impression of a marginal and old practice. In fact, the diffusion NHRAPs is far more significant than accounted for so far, which leads us to argue that NHRAPs are worthy of investigation. The inventory, coupled with a study analysing it, outlines a field of inquiry and leads by example by generating case studies and showing the value of social sciences and empirical inquiries into the diffusion and local reception of NHRAPs.

Number of NHRAPs adopted each year since 1993

The inventory of NHRAPs

The inventory was last updated on 14 June 2023. At that date, it included: 152 NHRAPs adopted in 79 countries (last addition: Spain’s 2nd NHRAP). The methodology for including NHRAPs in the list is described in chapter 1.

We call on readers to help us maintain the inventory up to date: Please reach us at selo@humanrights.dk.

Angola:

• National Human Rights Strategy and its Implementation Plan (2020-2025). Available in: Portuguese.

Argentina:

• First National Plan of Action on Human Rights 2017-2020. Available in: Spanish.

Armenia:

• Plan of Action for the National Strategy on Human Rights Protection 2014-2016. Available in: Armenian, English.
• Action Plan of Human Rights Protection 2017-2019. Available in: Armenian, English.
• Action Plan for 2020-2022 deriving from National Strategy for Human Rights Protection of the Republic of Armenia. Available in: Armenian, English.

Australia:

• National Action Plan (1994). Available in: English.
• Australia’s National Framework for Human Rights: National Action Plan (2004). Available in: English.
• Australia’s National Human Rights Action Plan, 2012. Available in: English.

Azerbaijan:

• National Action Plan on Protection of Human Rights (2006-2011). Available in: Azerbaijani.
• National Program for Action to Raise Effectiveness of the Protection of Human Rights and Freedoms 2012-2015. Available in: Azerbaijani, English.

Bahrain:

• National Human Rights Plan 2022-2026. Available in: Arabic, English.

Belarus:

• Interagency Action Plan for 2016-2019. Available in: English.

Bolivia:

• National Plan of Action for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, 1999. Available in: Spanish, English.
• Human Rights Action Plan 2006-2010. Available in: Spanish.
• National Human Rights Action Plan 2009-2013. Available in: Spanish.
• National Human Rights Action Plan 2014-2018. Available in: Spanish.

Brazil:

• National Programme for Human Rights, 1996. Available in: Portuguese, English.
• National Programme for Human Rights (PNDH II), 2002. Available in: Portuguese.
• National Programme for Human Rights (PNDH III), 2009. Available in: Portuguese.

Burundi:       

• Action Plan for the Implementation of the National Human Rights Policy 2012-2017. Available in: French.

Cabo Verde:

• National Plan of Action for Human Rights and Citizenship (2003). Available in: Portuguese, French.
• National Plan of Action for Human Rights and Citizenship 2017-2022. Available in: Portuguese.

Cameroon:     

• National Action Plan for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights 2015-2019. Available in: French, English.

Chad:

• National Action Plan for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights 2012-2015. Partially available in: French.

Chile:

• First National Human Rights Action Plan 2018-2021. Available in: Spanish.
• Second National Plan for Human Rights 2022-2025. Available in: Spanish.

China:

• National Human Rights Action Plan 2009-2010. Available in: Chinese, English.
• National Human Rights Action Plan 2012-2015. Available in: Chinese, English.
• National Human Rights Action Plan 2016-2020. Available in: Chinese, English.
• Human Rights Action Plan 2021-2025. Available in: Chinese, English.

Croatia:

• National Programme for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights 2008-2011. Available in: Croatian, English.
• National Programme for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights 2013-2016. Available in Croatian, English.
• National Plan for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights and Combating Discrimination for the period up to 2027. Available in: Croatian.

Democratic Republic of Congo:        

• National Plan of Action for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights 2000-2002. Available in: French.

Dominican Republic:

• National Human Rights Plan 2018-2022. Available in: Spanish.

Ecuador:

• National Plan of Action for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, 1998. Available in: Spanish, English, French.

Ethiopia:

• National Human Rights Action Plan 2013-2015. Available in: Amharic, English.
• The Ethiopian National Human Rights Action Plan 2016-2020. Available in: Amharic, English.

Finland:

• National Action Plan on Fundamental and Human Rights 2012-2013. Available in: Finnish, Swedish, English.
• National Action Plan on Fundamental and Human Rights 2017-2019. Available in: Finnish, Swedish, English.
• National Action Plan on Fundamental and Human Rights 2020-2023. Available in: Finnish, Swedish, English.

Gambia:

• National Human Rights Policy and Action Plan 2021-2025. Available in: English.

Georgia:

• Action Plan of the Government of Georgia on the Protection of Human Rights 2014-2016. Available in: Georgian, English.
• Action Plan of the Government of Georgia on the Protection of Human Rights for 2016-2017. Available in: Georgian, English.
• Governmental Action Plan on Human Rights 2018-2020. Available in: Georgia, English.

Germany:

• Human Rights Action Plan of the Federal Government 2005-2006. Available in: German.
• Human Rights Action Plan of the Federal Government 2008-2010. Available in: German.
• Human Rights Action Plan of the Federal Government 2010-2012. Available in: German.
• Human Rights Action Plan of the Federal Government 2012-2014. Available in: German.
• Human Rights Action Plan of the Federal Government 2014-2016. Available in: German.
• Human Rights Action Plan of the Federal Government 2017-2018. Available in: German.
• Human Rights Action Plan of the Federal Government 2019-2020. Available in: German.
• Human Rights Action Plan of the Federal Government 2021-2022. Available in: German, English.
• Human Rights Action Plan of the Federal Government 2023-2024. Available in: German, English.

Greece:

• Human Rights National Action Plan 2014-2016. Available in: Greek, English.

Guatemala:

• National Plan of Action for Human Rights 2007-2017. Available in: Spanish.

Guinea Bissau:

• National Strategy and Action Plan for Human Rights and Citizenship 2022-2026. Available in: Portuguese.

Honduras:

• First Public Policy on Human Rights and National Plan of Action on Human Rights 2013-2022. Available in: Spanish.

Indonesia:

• National Plan of Action for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights 1998-2003. Available in: Bahasa Indonesian, English.
• National Plan of Action on Human Rights 2004-2009. Available in: Bahasa Indonesian.
• National Plan of Action on Human Rights 2011-2014. Available in: Bahasa Indonesian.
• National Plan of Action on Human Rights 2015-2019. Available in: Bahasa Indonesian, English.
• National Plan of Action on Human Rights 2021-2025. Available in: Bahasa Indonesian.

Iraq:

• National Human Rights Plan 2012-2014. Available in: English.
• Human Rights National Action Plan (2021-2025). Available in: Arabic, English.

Ivory Coast:

• National Human Rights Action Plan (2022). Available in: French.

Jordan:

• Comprehensive National Plan for Human Rights 2016-2025. Available in: Arabic, English.

Kazakhstan:   

• National Human Rights Action Plan 2009-2012. Available in: Kazakh, Russian, English.
• Plan of Priority Measures on Human Rights (2021). Available in Kazakh, Russian.

Kenya:

• National Policy and Action Plan on Human Rights. Available in: English.

Kosovo:

• Strategy and Action Plan on Human Rights 2009-2011. Available in: English.
• Action Plan (2021-2023) for the implementation of the Program for the Protection and Promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms (2021-2025). Available in: English.

Kyrgyzstan:

• Human Rights Action Plan for 2019-2021. Available in: Kyrgyz, Russian.
• Human Rights Action Plan for 2022-2024. Available in: Russian

Latvia:

• National Plan of Action for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, 1995. Available in: English.

Lebanon:

• National Action Plan for Human Rights 2014-2019. Available in: Arabic, English.

Liberia:

• National Human Rights Action Plan 2013-2018. Available in: English.
• National Human Rights Action Plan 2019-2024. Available in: English.

Lithuania:

• National Plan of Action for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights 2002-2004. Available in: English.

Malawi:

• National Plan of Action for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights 1995-1996. Available in: English.
• National Plan of Action for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights 2004-2011. Available in: English.

Malaysia:

• National Human Rights Action Plan, 2018. Available in: Bahasa Malay.

Mali:

• Action Plan of the National Human Rights Policy 2017-2021. Available in: French.

Mauritania:

• National Plan of Action for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, 2003. Available in: French.

Mauritius:

• National Human Rights Action Plan 2012-2020 (updated in July 2019). Available in: English.

Mexico:

• National Human Rights Programme, 1998. Available in: Spanish, English.
• National Program for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights 2004-2006. Available in: Spanish.
• National Human Rights Program 2008-2012. Available in: Spanish.
• National Human Rights Program 2014-1018. Available in: Spanish.
• National Human Rights Program 2020-2024. Available in: Spanish.

Moldova:

• National Human Rights Action Plan 2004-2008. Available in: Romanian, English.
• National Human Rights Action Plan 2011-2014 (as amended in 2012). Available in: Romanian, Russian.
• National Human Rights Action Plan 2018-2022. Available in: Romanian, English.

Mongolia:

• National Human Rights Action Programme (2003). Available in: English.

Morocco:

• National Action Plan for Democracy and Human Rights 2018-2021. Available in: Arabic, French, English.

Namibia:

• National Human Rights Action Plan 2015-2019. Available in: English.

Nepal:

• National Human Rights Action Plan 2004-2008. Available in: English.
• National Human Rights Action Plan 2007-2010.
• National Human Rights Action Plan 2010-2013. Available in: English.
• Fourth National Plan of Actions on Human Rights 2014-2018. Available in: Nepali, English.
• Fifth National Plan of Actions on Human Rights 2020-2025. Available in: Nepali.

Netherlands:

• National Action Plan on Human Rights: The Protection and Promotion of Human Rights in the Netherlands (2014). Available in: Dutch, English.
• National Action Plan on Human Rights: Access to Services (2020). Available in: Dutch, English, French (summary).

New Zealand:

• New Zealand Action Plan for Human Rights, 2005-2010. Available in: English.
• National Plan of Action, 2015-2019. Available in: English.

Nigeria:

• National Action Plan for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights (2006). Available in: English.
• National Action Plan for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights 2009-2013. Available in: English.
• National Action Plan for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights in Nigeria (2022-2026).

Norway:

• National Plan of Action for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights 2000-2005. Available in: English (partial).

Pakistan:

• Action Plan for Human Rights (2016). Available in: English.

Palestine:

• National Plan of Action for Human Rights 1999-2003. Available in: English (partial).

Paraguay:

• National Human Rights Plan, 2013. Available in: Spanish.

Peru:

• National Plan for Human Rights 2006-2010. Available in: Spanish.
• National Plan for Human Rights 2014-2016. Available in: Spanish.
• National Plan for Human Rights 2018-2021. Available in: Spanish.

Philippines:

• National Plan of Action for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights 1996-2000. Available in: English.
• Second National Human Rights Action Plan 2010-2014. Available in: English.
• The Philippine Human Rights Plan, 2018-2022: An Agenda for Protecting Human Lives, Uplifting Human Dignity, and Advancing People’s Progress. Available in: English.

Republic of Korea:

• National Action Plan for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights 2007-2011. Available in: Korean, English (partial).
• National Action Plan for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights 2012-2016. Available in: Korean.
• National Action Plan for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights 2018-2022. Available in: Korean, English (partial).

Rwanda:

• National Human Rights Action Plan 2017-2020. Available in: English.

Seychelles:     

• National Action Plan for Human Rights 2015-2020.

Somalia:

• Action Plan for the Implementation of the Human Rights Roadmap 2015-2016. Available in: English.

South Africa:

• National Plan of Action for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, 1998. Available in: English.

Spain:

• Human Rights Plan 2009-2012. Available in: Spanish.
• Second National Plan on Human Rights (2023-2027).

Sri Lanka:

• National Action Plan for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights 2011-2016. Available in: English.
• National Action Plan for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights 2017-2021. Available in: English, Sinhala.

Sudan:

• National Action Plan for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights 2013-2023

Sweden:

• A National Human Rights Action Plan 2002-2004. Available in: Swedish, English.
• National Action Plan for Human Rights 2006-2009. Available in: Swedish, English.

ROC-Taiwan:

• National Human Rights Action Plan (2022-2024). Available in: Chinese, English.

Tanzania:       

• National Human Rights Action Plan 2013-2017. Available in: English.

Thailand:

• First National Human Rights Plan 2001-2005. Available in: Thai.
• Second National Human Rights Plan 2009-2013. Available in: Thai.
• Third National Human Rights Plan 2014-2018. Available in: Thai, English (Summary).
• Fourth National Human Rights Plan 2019-2022. Available in: Thai. English (Summary).
• Fifth National Human Rights Plan (2023-2027). Available in: Thai.

Turkey:

• Action Plan on Prevention of ECHR Violations (2014-2019). Available in: Turkish, English.
• Action Plan on Human Rights: Free Individual, Strong Society; More Democratic Turkey (2021). Available in: Turkish, English.

Turkmenistan:

• National Human Rights Action Plan for 2016-2020. Available in: Turkmen, English, Russian.
• National Human Rights Action Plan for 2021-2025. Available in: Turkmen, English, Russian.

Tuvalu:

• National Human Rights Action Plan 2016-2020. Available in: English.

Ukraine:

• Action Plan on Implementation of the National Strategy in the Area of Human Rights for the Period until 2020 (2015). Available in: Ukrainian, English.
• Action Plan for the Implementation of the National Strategy for Human Rights 2021-2023. Available in: Ukrainian, English.

United Kingdom – Scotland:

• National Action Plan for Human Rights 2013-2017. Available in: English.
• Second National Human Rights Action Plan (2023-2023): Available in: English.

United Kingdom – Saint-Helena:

• Human Rights Action Plan; Priorities for Action 2012-2015. Available in: English.

Uzbekistan:

• Roadmap for the Implementation of the National Strategy on Human Rights (2020). Available in: Uzbek, Russian.

Venezuela:

• National Plan for Human Rights 1999-2004. Available in: Spanish.
• National Human Rights Plan 2016-2019. Available in: Spanish.

 

We sought to include all existing linguistic versions of the plans, to enhance accessibility. Translations into languages other than official languages of the countries are based on external resources made accessible to the Danish Institute for Human Rights. Whether performed by the states themselves or by international agencies, translations to English, French or Russian are not the plans’ official versions of the plans, and are sometimes truncated or partial.

We strive to make the pdf versions of our publications etc. accessible for screen readers. Please note that the  inventory includes documents (links or uploads) in their original format, as produced by other sources. If you experience any problems in accessing documents, please contact Digital Editor Stine Juhl Nielsen on stni@humanrights.dk.

Partners

The inventory of NHRAPs finds its roots in an intensive data collection effort, initiated by David Johnson, former OHCHR Regional Representative to Southern Africa. We joined efforts in 2018 to systematically collect information on NHRAPs.

Together, we meticulously and systematically investigated state practice. This entailed extended exchanges with multiple human rights actors including: government officials, partners of the Danish Institute for Human Rights around the world, UN agencies – in particular the OHCHR and the UNDP, NHRIs, EU and Council of Europe officials, academics and experts, as well as civil society. We thank all of them for their interest in the project.

National human rights action plans: An inventory