Strong Institutions

Strong national institutions need to have the capacity and resources to respect, protect, and promote an enabling environment for human rights defenders.

It is imperative that national institutions act within the rule of law and have effective mechanisms in place for transparency and accountability (see chapter 1 on access
to information and chapter 8 on rule of law and access to justice). National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) that comply with the Paris Principles are an indicator for strong institutions under SDG target 16.a. Due to the independent nature of their work, they are in a unique position to use their formal mandates to guide and advise governments on their human rights obligations and to investigate crimes against human rights defenders. “In performing their work, NHRIs and their staff can receive threats and come under attack for promoting and protecting human rights. In order to help hold states and their institutions to account, NHRIs must be free and well- resourced to operate with independence, efficiency, credibility and impact.

Articles in the UN DHRD

Art 12.2

The State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection, by the competent authorities, of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration.

Art 14.3

The State shall ensure and support, where appropriate, the creation and development of further independent national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms in all territory under its jurisdiction, whether they be ombudsmen, human rights commissions or any other form of national institution.

Art 15

The State has the responsibility to promote and facilitate the teaching of human rights and fundamental freedoms at all levels of education and to ensure that all those responsible for training lawyers, law enforcement officers, the personnel of the armed forces and public officials include appropriate elements of human rights teaching in their training programme.

Examples in other International Human Rights Instruments

International covenant on civil and political rights

Art 2.2

Where not already provided for by existing legislative or other measures, each State Party to the present Covenant undertakes to take the necessary steps, in accordance with its constitutional processes and with the provisions of the present Covenant, to adopt such laws or other measures as may be necessary to give effect to the rights recognized in the present Covenant.

Convention Against Torture

Art 11.4

The Parties shall encourage partnerships with States from other regions, intergovernmental, non-governmental, academic and private organizations, as well as civil society organizations and other relevant stakeholders to implement the present Agreement.

Art 10.2

Each Party, in line with its capacities, may take, inter alia, the following measures 10.2.a train authorities and civil servants on environmental access rights;
10.2.b develop and strengthen environmental law and access rights awareness- raising and capacity-building programmes for, inter alia, the public, judicial and administrative officials, national human rights institutions and jurists;
10.2.c provide the competent institutions and entities with adequate equipment and resources.