December 2022 Update in NHRIs Status and Mandates

The Fundamental Rights Agency is pleased to share with you its December 2022 Update on National Human Rights Institutions status and mandates.

This Update covers the accreditation status and mandates of 27 EU Member States as well as Albania, North Macedonia and Serbia and is a follow up of FRA’s 2020 report on ‘Strong and effective national human rights institutions – challenges, promising practices and opportunities’, the September 2021 update and the June 2022 update.

NHRIs continue to represent a vital part of the human rights protection system. They play a central role in protecting and promoting human rights through activities of monitoring, advocacy, and by holding national authorities to account. FRA keeps track of the accreditation status and the mandates of the NHRIs. In 2022, the NHRI in Cyprus was upgraded to an ‘A[1]status’ institution. In addition, the mandates of six NHRIs changed to include child protection or the protection of LGBTI people.

FRA’s 2020 comprehensive report demonstrated the potential for further strengthening the NHRIs in the EU. The Agency continues to recommend the establishment of independent, broadly mandated, and well-resourced NHRIs in all Member States and continues to support NHRIs in their work within the EU framework. Furthermore, FRA, together with the European Network of NHRIs (ENNHRI), supports selected NHRIs through a project supported by the EEA and Norway Grants and aimed at increasing the NHRIs’ capacity in applying the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and in monitoring of fundamental rights aspects of the rule of law.