Event information

31 May 2018, 17:00-18:30

Downloads

Flyer >

The Paris Principles at 25: How National Human Rights Institutions Have Contributed to Promoting and Protecting Human Rights and What They Can Do in the Future

Event

Encounter with the High Commissioner for Human Rigjhts during the annual meeting of NHRIs Encounter with the High Commissioner for Human Rigjhts during the annual meeting of NHRIs

Hosted by the Geneva Academy, the Permanent Mission of Australia, the Australian Human Rights Commission and the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions

In 1993, the international community adopted the Paris Principles, encouraging states to establish national institutions for the protection and promotion of human rights. These institutions, now commonly known as National Human Rights Institutions or NHRIs, have since become an integral part of the international and national human rights systems.

NHRIs play an essential role in promoting the implementation by states of their international human rights obligations, and to translate those into lived realities for the people on the ground. In line with their mandates and functions under the Paris Principles, NHRIs help states engage meaningfully in the international human rights system and provide a source of independent analysis and accountability where states fall short in fulfilling their responsibilities.  

This event will explore the ways in which NHRIs have contributed to improving the lives of individuals around the world over the past 25 years, and the role they continue to play in promoting and protecting human rights both domestically and internationally.  

The event will also look to the future of NHRIs, and the key challenges and opportunities ahead.  Chief among these will be the way in which NHRIs engage with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and how their core work is changing to adapt to the paradigm of the Sustainable Development Goals and the principle to ‘leave no-one behind’.

Moderator

  • Dr Christophe Golay, Strategic Adviser on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and Senior Research Fellow, Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights

Speakers

  • Professor Rosalind Croucher, President, Australian Human Rights Commission
  • Professor Beate Rudolf, Chairperson, Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions and Director, German Institute for Human Rights

 Light Refreshments

The presentation will be followed by light refreshments.

MORE ON THIS THEMATIC AREA

neurotech image News

Research Brief Evaluates the Human Rights Implications of Neurotechnology in Therapeutic and Commercial Applications

27 March 2025

Our research brief, Neurotechnology and Human Rights: An Audit of Risks, Regulatory Challenges, and Opportunities, examines the human rights implications of neurotechnology in both therapeutic and commercial applications.

Read more

EQINET Logo News

In Highlight: Equality Bodies Comparison Dashboard

20 August 2025

Via its DHRTTDs Directory, the Geneva Human Rights Platform provides a comprehensive list and description of such key tools and databases. But how to navigate them? Which tool should be used for what, and by whom? This interview helps us understand better the specificities of the current highlight of the directory: Equality Bodies Comparison Dashboard

Read more

Event

Strengthening international labour rights and UN human rights standards: The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and Freedom of Association

23 September 2025, 18:30-21:00

This open discussion will consider the strengthening of international labour rights and human rights standards with focus on freedom of association.

Read more

Enforced Disappearances Event

'Short-term' Enforced Disappearances

23 September 2025, 13:00-14:00

This side event will bring together stakeholders to discuss the growing concerning recurrence to short-term enforced disappearances worldwide, and the challenges they pose for victims and accountability.

Read more

Town Hall Meeting Training

Localizing International Human Rights

8-10 October 2025

This training course, specifically designed for staff of city and regional governments, will explore the means and mechanisms through which local and regional governments can interact with and integrate the recommendations of international human rights bodies in their concrete work at the local level.

Read more

A general view of participants during of the 33nd ordinary session of the Human Rights Council. Training

The Universal Periodic Review and the UN Human Rights System: Raising the Bar on Accountability

10-14 November 2025

This training course will explore the origin and evolution of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and its functioning in Geneva and will focus on the nature of implementation of the UPR recommendations at the national level.

Read more

View of a session of the UN Human Rights Council Project

Human Rights Conversations

Started in January 2020

A series of events aimed at discussing contemporary issues and challenges related to the promotion and protection of human rights in Geneva and beyond.

Read more

George Floyd protest in Washington D.C. Project

Promoting and Protecting the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and Association and Civic Space Worldwide

Started in June 2020

This project aims at providing support to the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association Clément Voulé by addressing emerging issues affecting civic space and eveloping tools and materials allowing various stakeholders to promote and defend civic space.

Read more

Cover of the 2023 Geneva Academy Annual Report Publication

Annual Report 2024

published on July 2025

Read more

Cover of the publication Publication

Briefing N° 25: Localizing Multilateralism

published on March 2025

Domenico Zipoli, Ludovica Chiussi Curzi, Kamelia Kemileva

Read more