The Office of the Ombudsman has all the credentials to become the National Human Rights Institution (“NHRI”) for Malta - Factsheet 3
Published December 10, 2024
The Office of the Ombudsman has all the credentials to become the National Human Rights Institution (“NHRI”) for Malta - Factsheet 3
Published December 10, 2024
The European Network of National Human Rights Institutions (“ENNHRI”)
ENNHRI brings together 49 NHRIs with a diversity of mandates from across Europe with a mission to enhance the promotion and protection of human rights in the region. The network provides a platform for collaboration and solidarity in addressing the challenges in protecting human rights and a common voice for NHRIs at the European level.
Malta does not have an NHRI. However in 2024 the Office of the Parliamentary Ombudsman of Malta (“the Office”) was admitted as Associate Member of ENNHRI. This status entitles the Office to participate in all the activities of the Network but does not give the Office any right to vote. The Office was granted that status on the basis of the Ombudsman Act 1995 as it stands to date. The Act gives the Office constitutional protection and independence.
To qualify for Full Member A status of ENNHRI, the NHRI of a country must be fully compliant with the UN Paris Principles. The Office has strongly and in concrete terms advocated in favour of robust legislation that brings about radical and substantial changes to the Ombudsman Act in the sense that on the hand the Office maintains fully its present Ombuds mandate and on the other is given an additional mandate for the promotion and protection of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of the person in accordance with the UN Paris Principles. Such an extended mandate would raise even further the profile of the Office. The Office strongly believes that on the basis of past experience it has all the credentials to become the NHRI of Malta.
ENNHRI`s mission is to:
- Strengthen NHRIs by facilitating the exchange of information and good practices, and the organisation of capacity-building activities.
- Assist and support NHRIs in their efforts to comply with the UN Paris Principles in the process of constitution, accreditation and when they come under threat.
- Connect NHRIs to European institutions by facilitating their engagement with regional mechanisms, raising their visibility and intervening on regional legal and policy developments
- Promote and protect human rights by strengthening, supporting and connecting NHRIs present in Europe.
Where human rights are concerned, ENNHRI works hard to ensure:
- Respect for international standards
- Transparency
- Cooperation
- Accountability
- Non-discrimination and respect for diversity
- Participation
- Independence
- Solidarity
The Network addresses human rights issues in Europe, with the focus on:
- Democracy & Rule of Law
- Economic & Social Rights
- Asylum & Migration
- Artificial Intelligence
- Human Rights in (Post-)Conflict
- Business & Human Rights
- Climate Change and Human Rights
- Communicating Human Rights
- Rights of Older Persons
- Rights of Persons with Disabilities
- Sustainable Development Goals
