Quelles sont les heures d'ouverture ?

Lundi 09:00 - 18:00 Mardi 09:00 - 18:00 Mercredi 09:00 - 18:00 Jeudi 09:00 - 18:00 Vendredi 09:00 - 18:00

European Network of National Human Rights Institutions

Accueil
België
Bruxelles / Brussel
European Network of National Human Rights Institutions

Itinéraire Site Web

ENNHRI is the European Network of National Human Rights Institutions. We bring together 50 National Human Rights Institutions across wider Europe.

National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) are independent bodies with a constitutional or legal mandate to promote and protect human rights. They are a key element of a strong and effective national, regional and global human rights framework. The NHRIs of the European region first met in 1994 under the auspices of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. The following meeting took place in Copenhagen, where the European Coordinating Group was set up in order to enhance the cooperation with OHCHR, the Council of Europe and Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe/Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR). A third meeting was, consequently held in context of roundtable with Council of Europe in 2000 in Strasbourg. The turning point for the formalisation of the European Group of National Human Rights Institutions, was its fourth meeting in Dublin where the members approved the Group’s Rules of Procedure and agreed to meet annually in the margins of GANHRI Annual meeting in Geneva, Switzerland. The European Group of NHRIs recruited a Secretary General to establish a Permanent Secretariat in Brussels in May 2013. ENNHRI has now membership of 41 NHRIs from across wider Europe, and ENNHRI Secretariat employs the Secretary General, 7 Permanent Staff Members and a Trainee. ENNHRI’s vision is:
The universal and effective enjoyment of human rights throughout Europe

ENNHRI’s values are:
Respect of international human rights standards
Transparency
Cooperation
Accountability
Participation
Non-discrimination
Independence

ENNHRI's thematic work:
European structures to support human rights
Human rights of persons with disabilities
Human rights of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers
Human rights of older persons in long-term care
Economic and social rights
Counter-terrorism and human rights
Business and human rights

19/10/2026

🏛️ Human rights and artificial intelligence (AI) took centre stage last Wednesday in Athens at the High-Level Conference on Human Rights and Artificial Intelligence organised by the Greek National Commission for Human Rights.

The event gathered several National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs), European Union (EU) and international institutions, national authorities, civil society and academia.

🎤 The day began with welcome remarks from our Secretary General, Debbie Kohner, alongside Prof. Maria Gavouneli, President of the Greek National Human Rights Commission.

🗣️ In her remarks, Debbie Kohner called for independent, well-resourced institutions and stronger cooperation, reminding us that human rights are not an obstacle to innovation. In fact, they are what makes AI trustworthy.

💡 From there, discussions ranged from implementing the EU AI Act and the Council of Europe Framework Convention on AI to institutional coordination and civil society’s role in protecting rights in the AI age.

🔎 NHRIs were at the heart of the second panel, moderated by our Human Rights Officer, Sophie Hale. Our AI Working Group Co-Chairs, Arnaud Louwette from FIRM - IFDH and Anete Ilves from the Ombudsman's Office of the Republic of Latvia (Tiesībsarga birojs), discussed how NHRIs can respond to AI-related human rights challenges and where they add value. They were joined by speakers from the Danish Institute for Human Rights and German Institute for Human Rights.

📘 The Conference also saw the Greek National Human Rights Commission present its new report “Human Rights and Artificial Intelligence”.

🙏 Thanks to the Greek National Human Rights Commission organising and hosting the Conference and to all speakers and participants for the rich discussions.

The event was organised under a project led by the Greek National Human Rights Commission for ENNHRI’s 2026 Regranting Programme, co-funded by the European Union.

👉 Learn more about our work on AI: https://ennhri.org/our-work/topics/artificial-intelligence/

📖 Read more about ENNHRI’s Regranting Programme and the Greek National Human Right’s Commission’s project: https://ennhri.org/our-work/nhri-regranting-programme/ #1787910933820-c5299739-f6d5

📘 Read the Greek National Commission’s Report on Human Rights and AI in English: https://nchr.gr/en/news/2364-publication-of-the-gnchr-report-human-rights-and-artificial-intelligence.html

16/10/2026

📢 Major new Council of Europe report calls for more support for and cooperation with National Human Rights Institutions

This Wednesday, the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers adopted the implementation report on the Council of Europe Recommendation on NHRIs.

✅ Coming five years after the Recommendation’s adoption, the report outlines progress in some areas. For instance, NHRIs are now present in 44 of 46 Council of Europe Member States.

The report also reaffirms NHRIs' importance as natural counterparts for the Council of Europe and pillars for advancing human rights, democracy and the rule of law.

⚠️ At the same time, it sends a clear message: NHRIs face major challenges and need more support.

From inadequate funding and limited follow-up to their recommendations to increasing threats, many institutions face significant obstacles to fulfilling their mandates effectively.

The report urges Member States to tackle these issues and ramp up their efforts to comply with the standards set out in the Recommendation.

The report also sets out how the Council of Europe can support NHRIs to fulfil their key role, calling for it to:

▶️ Develop its strategic cooperation with NHRIs and ensure they have systematic and timely access to relevant information and opportunities.

▶️ Explore ways to meaningfully engage with and involve NHRIs and ENNHRI, including creating a dedicated focal point for NHRIs.

🤝 We stand ready to take the next step with both Member States and the Council of Europe to support compliance with NHRI standards and establish and strengthen NHRIs.

👀 Learn more in our article: https://ennhri.org/news-and-blog/major-new-council-of-europe-report-calls-for-more-support-for-and-cooperation-with-national-human-rights-institutions/

👉 Read the full implementation report: https://lnkd.in/eJ5j6UY7

14/10/2026

📍 This week we’re in Athens for two days focused on artificial intelligence (AI).

💡 We kicked off yesterday with a meeting of our Working Group on AI, bringing together more than 20 representatives of National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) in person and online.

Together, we:

▶️ Looked at the EU AI Act and its implementation in critical sectors, and the related fundamental rights challenges and opportunities for cooperation.

▶️ Reflected on the role of data protection authorities under the AI Act and how NHRIs can work with them.

▶️ Exchanged on national and regional developments and possible responses.

These rich discussions have set the scene for today’s High-Level Conference on Human Rights and AI, organised by the Greek National Human Rights Commission. Our Greek member also kindly hosted the Working Group meeting.

🔜 Stay tuned for more on the Conference!

The Working Group meeting and High-Level Conference are organised under a project led by the Greek National Human Rights Commission for ENNHRI's 2026 Regranting Programme. The Programme and all related projects are co-funded by the European Union.

👉 Learn more about our work on AI: https://ennhri.org/our-work/topics/artificial-intelligence/

📖 Read more about our Regranting Programme and the Greek National Commission’s project: https://ennhri.org/our-work/nhri-regranting-programme/

09/10/2026

📍An ideal way to wrap up our two days in Vienna on economic and social rights: together with our Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Working Group.

After the enriching day on Wednesday, over 40 NHRI representatives came together yesterday morning in person and online for the Working Group meeting.

▶ In a time of increasing fiscal constraints, members discussed and shared their experiences on how to monitor and promote the state's allocation of maximum available resources for economic, social and cultural rights.

Experts from the Council of Europe and Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights also gave their perspectives.

🗣️ Sophie Hale, ENNHRI's Human Rights Officer, attended on behalf of the ENNHRI Secretariat.

🤝 Many thanks to all participants and speakers and to the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights for hosting the meeting.

08/10/2026

📍 Yesterday, we took part in the 16th meeting of the CoE-FRA-ENNHRI-EQUINET Collaborative Platform on Social and Economic Rights in Vienna, together with the Council of Europe, the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) and Equinet - the European Network of Equality Bodies.

Deregulatory trends and the push for simplification are putting labour rights and the rules and standards that underpin these under strain across Europe.

We explored how the European Social Charter and European Union (EU) Charter of Fundamental Rights can protect against these pressures and continue to advance our social and economic rights.

🤝 National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) and Equality Bodies brought evidence from their monitoring, complaints handling and advice to public authorities, showing how they’ve helped turn standards into concrete safeguards.

More than 30 ENNHRI members joined discussions, and several shared their national experience as speakers. These included the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, the Danish Institute for Human Rights, the Slovak National Centre for Human Rights, (Slovenské národné stredisko pre ľudské práva), the Swedish Institute for Human Rights, and the Belgian Federal Institute for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights (FIRM - IFDH)

🎙️ Our Human Rights Officer, Sophie Hale, moderated a session on how the EU's simplification agenda and wider deregulatory trends can come into tension with social rights, equality and non-discrimination standards. The need to ensure that simplification does not weaken human rights protections was reiterated throughout the session.

📌 Other key topics covered at the meeting included how AI, new forms of work and climate-related risks are changing working conditions.

🤝 Thanks to all speakers and members for their contributions and the Council of Europe, FRA and Equinet for the continued partnership.

We look forward to continuing our work together defending social rights in Europe.

02/10/2026

📢 In case you missed it!

Check out our recently updated resource on human rights defenders ( ), with new good practices and fresh insights into how National Human Rights Institutions ( ) support fellow rights defenders across Europe.

This is a living tool for NHRIs and other stakeholders, setting out the many ways NHRIs promote, protect and support rights defenders, and providing information on relevant international and regional standards.

The updated resource now includes:

🌍 Over 30 good practices showing how NHRIs help create the conditions that HRDs need to work effectively, by safeguarding freedom of expression, assembly and association.

📚 Updated information on the international and regional instruments and initiatives that protect human rights defenders.

👉 Explore the full resource: https://lnkd.in/efQs7E5G

👉 Browse the good practice library: https://lnkd.in/eTH23uYN

👉 Discover more about ENNHRI's wider work on democracy and the rule of law: https://lnkd.in/eitKS9JQ

01/10/2026

🌍 Today is the International Day of Older Persons.

Human rights are for all, whatever our age. Yet a longer life doesn't automatically mean full rights: too many older persons still face barriers to claiming and exercising theirs.

⏳ This year's theme is longevity, an urgent reminder that human rights need to keep pace with a bigger life expectancy.

🤝 The good news: this July, negotiations got under way in Geneva on a new UN legally binding instrument on the Human Rights of Older Persons, with ENNHRI and its members contributing from the very first session.

To make a real difference, older persons must have a seat at the negotiating table as the text takes shape. This will help ensure it covers the rights of older persons in all their diversity.

🗣️ That is the message from the Co-Chairs of ENNHRI’s Working Group on the Rights of Older Persons, Abigail Booth and Peter Litschke, as featured in the visual below 👇

Want to know more?

📰 Read our article on how NHRIs are contributing to this process: https://ennhri.org/news-and-blog/nhris-make-important-contributions-as-further-steps-taken-towards-un-convention-on-rights-of-older-persons/

🔗 Explore ENNHRI's work on the rights of older persons: https://ennhri.org/our-work/topics/rights-of-older-persons/

📸 Photo credit: © DIMR/B. Dietl (Peter Litschke)

29/09/2026

Over the past two days, ENNHRI's Board gathered in Ljubljana to take stock of the network's work and set direction for what's ahead.

Board members addressed:

✅ Recent progress across ENNHRI's work and key priorities

🎯 Implementation of ENNHRI's new Strategic Plan 2026-2030

🛠️ An exchange with ENNHRI's Working Group Chairs

📅 Preparations for the upcoming Leadership Forum, taking place on 4-6 November in Brussels

🤝 We look forward to seeing how these discussions shape ENNHRI's work in the months ahead, as we continue supporting National Human Rights Institutions across Europe.

24/09/2026

👥 This afternoon we had the pleasure to welcome Anahit Manasyan, the Human Rights Defender of Armenia, in our Secretariat in Brussels.

🗣️ At their meeting, our Secretary General, Debbie Kohner, discussed the recent work of the Human Rights Defender, national developments, international and regional cooperation, and how ENNHRI can support the institution.

🤝 We look forward to cooperating closely as we continue supporting The Human Rights Defender of Armenia to advance human rights, democracy and the rule of law for everyone in the country.

ՀՀ Մարդու իրավունքների պաշտպան - Human Rights Defender of Armenia

21/09/2026

📍Last Friday, we co-hosted a roundtable in Strasbourg with the Council of Europe Division on Migration and Refugees on ensuring effective communication on the European Convention on Human Rights and migration.

To consider this, we were joined by representatives of the European Court of Human Rights, the Council of Europe, National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs), civil society, journalists and policymakers.

We explored how to bring fact-based and human-centred communication on these topics to the forefront and counter disinformation and polarisation. We also looked at communicating the impact of the Court and its judgments on people’s lives.

During her opening and closing remarks, our Secretary General, Debbie Kohner, emphasised:

➡️ A strong and independent Court is key to protecting human rights, democracy and the rule of law. If the Court weakens, individuals pay the price. NHRIs play a key role in defending it.
➡️ We're not in a zero-sum communications environment: new platforms and messengers help us reach audiences beyond our traditional base. Equally, we can’t reach everyone.
➡️ We should focus on access to credible facts and stories and setting the narrative agenda. Offer alternative narratives, rather than just refuting disinformation and debunking.

Edyta Tuta-Lorenz, our Senior Human Rights Officer, and Richard Adams, our Communications Officer, shared NHRI reporting on public discourse on the day’s topics.

Based on this and insights from our NHRI Academy 2026, they set out the need to shift approach and NHRIs’ role in this. To connect with the public:

👉 Show how human rights concretely benefit people, reaffirm their universality, and lead with storytelling over legality.
👉 Move away from security-dominated migration narratives: tell stories reflecting our shared humanity with migrants' voices at their heart. NHRIs’ work with migrants and civil society can facilitate this.
👉 Localise content we create: NHRIs are ideal for this, for instance in the context of Court judgments. Their independent voice reaches diverse audiences nationally.
👉 Create new partnerships to reach audiences in emerging digital spaces. As bridgebuilders, NHRIs are key to forming these and rebuilding trust in these polarised times.

🗣️ Carol Hunt from the Irish Human Rights & Equality Commission and Ophelie Marrel from the French National Consultative Commission on Human Rights (Commission nationale consultative des droits de l'homme) represented NHRIs.

🙏 Thanks to all who contributed to this vital dialogue, joined us online and in person, and to our co-hosts.

We can't wait to build on today and continue working on this crucial topic with our members and partners.

Adresse

PlACE
Brussels
1000

Heures d'ouverture

Lundi	09:00 - 18:00
Mardi	09:00 - 18:00
Mercredi	09:00 - 18:00
Jeudi	09:00 - 18:00
Vendredi	09:00 - 18:00

Site Web

http://www.ennhri.org/

Notifications

Soyez le premier à savoir et laissez-nous vous envoyer un courriel lorsque European Network of National Human Rights Institutions publie des nouvelles et des promotions. Votre adresse e-mail ne sera pas utilisée à d'autres fins, et vous pouvez vous désabonner à tout moment.