Compliance of National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) in Ethiopia with the Paris Principles
Compliance of National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) in Ethiopia with the Paris Principles
By: Abraham Ayalew
Introduction
The establishment of the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission was necessitated as a result of the provisions of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Constitution. The inclusion in the Constitution of the establishment of the Commission may, inter alia, be a result of the World Conference on Human Rights which was conducted a year before the adoption of the Constitution. As a “National Institution” its constituent document is expected to take in to consideration the international movement and accepted standards guiding the establishment of such institutions. One important document in this regard is the Principles relating to the Status of National Institutions, also known as the Paris Principles, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations under Resolution 48/144 of 20th December 1993. The Paris Principles has become an international standard against which the level of operation and efficacy of a national institution is measured worldwide. For example, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights bestows a special observer status on a national institution operating in Africa based on its conformity to the provisions in this document. What is more, the Sub Committee on Accreditation of the International Coordinating Committee has a mandate to analyze applications for accreditation from national human rights institutions on the basis of its compliance with the Paris Principles.
It is for these reasons that any study involving evaluation of national institutions with the Paris Principles is of utmost importance. In this regard, the very purpose of this article is to assess whether or not the establishing law of the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission complies with the Paris Principles. In doing so after describing the Paris Principles and National Institutions; establishment, independence and pluralism and mandate and
By: Abraham Ayalew
Introduction
The establishment of the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission was necessitated as a result of the provisions of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Constitution. The inclusion in the Constitution of the establishment of the Commission may, inter alia, be a result of the World Conference on Human Rights which was conducted a year before the adoption of the Constitution. As a “National Institution” its constituent document is expected to take in to consideration the international movement and accepted standards guiding the establishment of such institutions. One important document in this regard is the Principles relating to the Status of National Institutions, also known as the Paris Principles, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations under Resolution 48/144 of 20th December 1993. The Paris Principles has become an international standard against which the level of operation and efficacy of a national institution is measured worldwide. For example, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights bestows a special observer status on a national institution operating in Africa based on its conformity to the provisions in this document. What is more, the Sub Committee on Accreditation of the International Coordinating Committee has a mandate to analyze applications for accreditation from national human rights institutions on the basis of its compliance with the Paris Principles.
It is for these reasons that any study involving evaluation of national institutions with the Paris Principles is of utmost importance. In this regard, the very purpose of this article is to assess whether or not the establishing law of the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission complies with the Paris Principles. In doing so after describing the Paris Principles and National Institutions; establishment, independence and pluralism and mandate and