The Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) has released its most recent sub-committee on accreditation (SCA) report, outlining the recommendations arising from its June 2021 session.

Two APF members - the Iraqi High Commission for Human Rights (IHCHR) and the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) – were awarded A-status accreditation, while also in the Asia Pacific, the Fiji Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission (FHRADC) was reviewed by the SCA for the first time and received a B-status recommendation.

The IHCHR had voluntarily sought reaccreditation after being accredited with B-status at its last review. The SCA was impressed with its efforts to respond to the highly challenging operating environment of Iraq and recommended that the NHRI be upgraded to A-status.

SUHAKAM was also seeking reaccreditation by the SCA. The institution was commended for its efforts to promote and protect human rights and was reaccredited with A-status.

While the FHRADC received a B-status due to some technical issues with its legal mandate, the SCA was impressed with the overall performance of the institution and its independence in practice. The FHRADC is not yet a member of the APF, although accreditation with GANHRI will allow the institution to apply for APF membership next year.

All institutions from the Asia Pacific region performed particularly well during the SCA proceedings, demonstrating a strong commitment to human rights in their respective countries.

The review of the IHCHR and SUHAKAM followed their participation at the APF’s inaugural GANHRI accreditation workshop held last year.

The three-day workshop, held in Doha, Qatar, from 20-22 January 2020, aimed to equip APF members with the information and skills to engage confidently with GANHRI and the SCA, and to deepen their understanding of the international accreditation process.

The APF will continue to work with the IHCHR, SUHAKAM and the FHRADC as they implement the recommendations made by the SCA to ensure compliance with the Paris Principles.