Speaking at the annual thematic panel discussion on technical cooperation and capacity-building, held during the 59th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Ms. Amina Bouayach, Chairperson of the National Human Rights Council (CNDH) and the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI), called on the UN and international system to strengthen cooperation between National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) and relevant UN mechanisms.

In an international context marked by decreasing multilateral cooperation, rising geopolitical tensions, growing threats to the universality of human rights, and a funding crisis undermining the capacity of the United Nations system, Ms. Bouayach stressed the need to reinforce bridges between local dynamics and international human rights standards.
 

In this context, Ms. Bouayach also underscored the importance of structured and sustained dialogue between NHRIs and the UN mechanisms responsible for monitoring and coordinating the preparation of State reports. She emphasized that such interaction is crucial for translating international recommendations into concrete and comprehensive public policies at the national level. Ms. Bouayach further noted that enhancing cooperation through human resources expertise and the exchange of good practices provide a possible response to budgetary constraints.

GANHRI Chairperson also reiterated the importance of the independence of NHRIs—an independence that is internationally assessed and accredited in line with the Paris Principles—to enable these institutions to effectively and efficiently fulfill their three key missions: preventing human rights violations, protecting citizens and victims, and promoting a culture of respect for rights and freedoms.

This statement was delivered today in Geneva, following an international advocacy effort recently led by Ms. Bouayach as GANHRI Chairperson, in which she called for strengthening and formally recognizing the role of NHRIs within the UN system in New York, ensuring that their participation and contribution is acknowledged in the same way as at the UN headquarters in Geneva.

"Human rights are not a matter of choice. They are the foundation of every just and resilient society," she concluded.