Members

The Commonwealth Forum of National Human Rights Institutions is premised on the commitment to political and human rights values with which the Commonwealth is widely associated, might also provide a platform for joint advocacy or standard-raising, and for increased interaction between Commonwealth NHRIs and governments, civil society organisations, and international bodies, including at events such as CHOGM (Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting) or meetings of the UN Human Rights Council.

The Commonwealth Forum of National Human Rights Institutions encompasses the following (non exhaustive) range of functions:

• to be an inclusive Forum for networking and sharing of experiences, information and knowledge among Commonwealth NHRIs;
• to promote and facilitate the exchange of ideas and expertise on improving the performance, capacity and independence of NHRIs in the Commonwealth, especially those confronting difficulties to function effectively within their resources or to comply with international standards;
• to promote and facilitate partnership between Commonwealth NHRIs themselves and between Commonwealth NHRIs and bilateral and international donors and agencies, including for the purposes of seeking funding opportunities for the Forum;
• to facilitate the process towards establishment, where conditions are right, of NHRIs in member countries presently lacking these, by drawing on and facilitating the advice and support of Commonwealth NHRIs to the national consultative and other processes preceding any such development;
• to gather and disseminate information of interest to Commonwealth NHRIs on a systematic basis;
• to allow for collective (consensus-based) expressions of support, encouragement or concern (as may be the case), in relation to particular events and developments in individual Commonwealth NHRIs from time to time, for the better defense and promotion of human rights;
• to coordinate and articulate the development of common positions on issues affecting Commonwealth NHRIs.