National Human Rights Institutions in Europe

Over the past twenty years, National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) have moved from the periphery to the centre of the human rights debate. The potential of NHRIs to transmit and implement international norms at the domestic level, and to transfer human rights expertise to regional and global human rights fora, is increasingly recognised. In Europe, the continent with the widest variety and density of human rights protection mechanisms, NHRIs are also gradually gaining recognition as actors that can enable more comprehensive and effective human rights promotion and protection.

This book, the result of a COST conference held in Leuven in April 2012, focuses on the functioning and role of NHRIs in Europe in a comparative, European and international perspective. At a time when the European Union is looking for a more coherent and strategic human rights policy, it is important that policy makers and academics pay more attention to the potential role of NHRIs. By bringing together contributions from academics and practitioners, this volume offers insights into the opportunities and challenges that accompany the increasing emergence of NHRIs in Europe and their proliferation on the multiple levels of human rights promotion and protection. Accordingly, this volume aims to inform and further trigger the NHRI debate in Europe.

With contributions by: Manfred Nowak, Christoffer Badse, Aleksandra Gliszczynska-Grabias, Katarzyna Sekowska-Kozlowska, Yvonne Donders, Marjolijn Olde Monnikhof, Jogchum Vrielink, Stefan Sottiaux, Bruce Aclamson, Peter J. Hustinx, Antoine Buyse, Ana Sofia Barros, Kirsten Roberts, Gauthier De Beco and Jan Jarab.

About this book
‘It offers a very good discussion of the subject, and can be warmly recommended to anyone interested in NHRIs.’
Stefan Kieber in NLMR (2014) 89

‘[…] a rich study of a phenomenon often overlooked in favour of a strictly contentious analysis of regional and international protection of human rights.’
Sébastien Touzé in RTDeur (2012)

‘The theme of the volume, the National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) in Europe, is a most timely topic, as the role of the NHRIs may not be underestimated. […] The book brings together a rich body of information on and analysis of the existing NHRI system: it fully meets the aim of advancing knowledge in this field by not only comparing various national (Danish, Polish, Dutch and Belgian) institutions but also putting these into European and international contexts and perspectives. The contributions are all of high level and offer interesting information but also “food for thought”. […] The present volume offers a rich amount of input to improve the human rights of people by strengthening the NHRIs.’
Jenny E. Goldschmidt in CMLR (2014)