Introduction

According to the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, each State has the right to choose the framework for the NHRI that best suits its particular needs at the national level in order to promote human rights in accordance with international human rights standards. Although the Paris Principles set out the basic norms for the roles and responsibilities of NHRIs, they do not dictate models or structures.

Attempts have been made to classify and categorise NHRIs, but none has been entirely successful. That is at least in part because there is no universally accepted and applied ideal “model”. Different models, approaches and structures are evolving rapidly, and there are as many variations as there are geographic regions and legal traditions. It has been said that there are as many typologies of NHRIs as papers written about them!

While acknowledging that there is no definitive classification, the models discussed in this document presume that NHRIs identified as such are in full compliance with the Paris Principles.