10.2.3 Who Confers Accreditation?

Accreditation is conferred by the Bureau of the International Coordinating Committee of National Institutions, an elected body that coordinates the meetings and activity of national institutions in the international arena. The ICC Bureau is composed of sixteen (16) members, four (4) NHRIs from each geographical grouping established by the International Network – Africa, the Americas, Asia-Pacific and Europe. Representatives on the ICC Bureau must be A-Status institutions and are elected, including the Chairperson and Secretary, by voting members of the ICC, that is, A-Status national institutions.

While the ICC Bureau makes the final decision on accreditation, a Sub-Committee on Accreditation established by the ICC carries out the actual work of reviewing accreditation credentials and providing reasons for accreditation decisions. The Sub-Committee is composed of one representative of each geographical grouping, each with A-Status accreditation. Other members select the Chair of the Committee on a rotational basis.

The National Institutions and Regional Mechanisms Section (NIRM Section) of the OHCHR supports the work of the ICC Bureau and the Sub-Committee on Accreditation generally, and specifically, with regard to accreditation. In particular, it develops a summary of the key issues concerning an applicant institution's compliance with the Paris Principles that is used by the Sub-Committee in coming to accreditation recommendations. These summaries are posted on the NHRI website at the time that the decision on accreditation decision is being taken. (Visit www.nhri.net to view these.) The annual SG reports to the HRC on the accreditation process of the ICC are a further source of information. (For the latest report please consult A/HRC/10/55.)