Working together to protect and promote human rights in the Asia Pacific
Our Members
The APF is a network of 26 National Human Rights Institutions from across the Asia Pacific region.
Select a country to learn more
The depiction and use of boundaries, geographic names and related data shown on the APF member map are not warranted to be error free nor do they necessarily imply official endorsement or acceptance by the APF.
The depiction and use of boundaries, geographic names and related data shown on the APF member map are not warranted to be error free nor do they necessarily imply official endorsement or acceptance by the APF.
APF members
The APF was established in 1996 with five members. Today, our membership includes 26 National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) from all corners of the Asia Pacific.
Within the rich social and cultural diversity of the APF network, our members work together to address some of the most complex human rights challenges in our region.
We offer a comprehensive program of services to support our members in their work to promote and protect human rights.
Our services
About NHRIs
NHRIs uphold the rights and dignity of those who are marginalised or forgotten
National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) are independent bodies established by governments to protect and promote human rights within their respective countries. They serve as a bridge between the government and civil society, advocating for the protection of human rights, investigating rights violations, and promoting awareness and education.
Unlike other parts of the world, there is no regional protection system in the Asia Pacific that people can turn to when their rights are violated. This makes the role of NHRIs in our region even more critical.
Strong, credible and effective NHRIs help bridge the ‘protection gap’ between the rights of individuals and the responsibilities of the State by:
Monitoring the human rights situation in the country and making their findings available to the public
Providing advice to government so that laws and policies reflect national and international human rights standards
Receiving, investigating and resolving complaints so that victims of human rights violations can seek redress
Delivering human rights education programs that help change attitudes and behaviour
Engaging with the international human rights community to raise pressing issues and advocate for recommendations that make a difference back home
NHRI Fact Sheets
"National Human Rights Institutions play a frontline role in the protection of human rights at the national level."
Volker Türk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Membership
Building stronger National Human Rights Institutions
The APF currently has 17 full members and eight associate members. To be admitted as a full member, an NHRI must fully comply with the international standards set out in the Paris Principles. NHRIs that partially comply with the Paris Principles are granted associate membership.
We use the accreditation decisions of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) to determine APF membership status. Full membership of the APF is equivalent to the GANHRI accreditation of "A-status" and associate membership is equivalent to the GANHRI accreditation of "B-status".
Get in touch to learn about how to become an APF member.
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