Finland's National Human Rights Institution accredited with A-status

Date of article: 02/02/2015

Daily News of: 02/02/2015

Country: Finland

Article language: en

Finland's National Human Rights Institution has been accredited with A status. This was confirmed as the International Coordinating Committee of National Human Rights Institutions (ICC) adopted its decision at the end of December.

National Human Rights Institutions are independent and autonomous statutory bodies that promote and protect human rights. Their duties, composition and working methods are defined in accordance with the so-called Paris Principles approved by the United Nations in 1993. Human Rights Institutions that fully comply with these principles may be accredited with A status.

Finland' National Human Rights Institution consists of the Parliamentary Ombudsman, the Human Rights Centre and its Human Rights Delegation. The A-status will be formally presented to the institution at UN headquarters in Geneva in March.

A status will entitle Finland's National Human Rights Institution to participate and take the floor in the sessions of the UN Human Rights Council and vote in the ICC's meetings. A status is considered highly significant in the UN and, in more general terms, in international cooperation.

Including Finland, there will be 72 National Human Rights Institutions with A status in the world. The total number of Human Rights Institutions currently is 108.

A long process

Establishing a National Human Rights Institution in Finland was already discussed in the early 2000s. It was seen necessary for the purposes of European and international cooperation, but it also responded to purely national needs.

The requirements of the Paris Principles could not be met by the Parliamentary Ombudsman alone. Consequently, a Human Rights Centre was set up in 2012. The Centre operates autonomously and independently, although administratively it is part of the Office of the Parliamentary Ombudsman.

An accreditation application to ICC was submitted in June 2014. A recommendation to accredit the application with A- status was made in October. During the intervening period until December, the applicant institution and ICC Bureau members had an opportunity to question the recommendation.

Tasks of Finland's National Human Rights Institution

The Parliamentary Ombudsman has the duty to oversee that the authorities and civil servants obey the law and fulfil their obligations. The Ombudsman pays particular attention to the realisation of fundamental and human rights. He also has certain special duties, such as monitoring how the police uses coercive telecommunication measures and overseeing that the rights of children are realised.
In late 2014, the Ombudsman was assigned the duties of a National Preventive Mechanism under the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, who may conduct inspections at places where persons deprived of their liberty are held.

The Human Rights Centre's tasks include promoting information provision, training, education and research on fundamental and human rights. The HRC also drafts reports on the implementation of these rights, takes initiatives and gives statements in order to promote the rights, and participates in international cooperation in this field.
The HRC does not handle individual complaints.

The HRC's Human Rights Delegation functions as a national cooperative body for fundamental and human rights actors. It deals with fundamental and human rights issues of a far-reaching significance and principal importance, and approves the HRC's plan of action and annual report.

The HRC's Director acts as the Chair of the Delegation, and 20?40 members are appointed to the Delegation for a term of four years.

Further information is available from expert Kristiina Kouros, kristiina.kouros@eduskunta.fi, tel. +358 (0)9-4321 3782

Links:

Report of the October session of the ICC's Sub-Committee on Accreditation that discussed Finland's application:
http://nhri.ohchr.org/EN/AboutUs/ICCAccreditation/Documents/SCA%20OCTOBER%202014%20FINAL%20REPORT%20-%20ENGLISH.pdf

A list of national human rights institutions accredited by the ICC:
http://nhri.ohchr.org/EN/Documents/Accreditation%20Status%20Chart.pdf

The Paris Principles:
http://www.oikeusasiamies.fi/Resource.phx/eoa/english/hrc/principles.htx

Information about the establishment of the Finland's national human rights institution was published in the Human Rights Centre's Annual Report 2012:
http://www.ihmisoikeuskeskus.fi/@Bin/331386/IOK_toimintakertomus_ENG_N%C3%84YTT%C3%96.pdf