Guidance Note To UNCTS: The Accreditation Process
Guidance Note To UNCTS: The Accreditation Process
The recommendations made by the ICC Sub-committee define a NHRI’s deficiencies, as regards compliance with the Paris Principles, in a comprehensive manner. Assuming that the UNCT determines that continued engagement with the NHRI is appropriate (see separate guidance note following Sub-section 10.2.5 for further detail on this) the recommendations provide a programme of action for that continued engagement.
In accordance with the ICC Statute, where the Sub- Committee on Accreditation comes to an accreditation recommendation, it shall first be forwarded to the applicant NHRI. An applicant can challenge a recommendation by submitting a written challenge to the ICC Chairperson, through the ICC Secretariat, within 28 days of receipt. Thereafter, the recommendation will be forwarded to the members of the ICC Bureau for decision. If a challenge has been received from the applicant, the challenge, together with all relevant material received in connection with both the application and the challenge, will also be forwarded to the members of the ICC Bureau. Any member of the ICC Bureau who disagrees with the recommendation should, within 20 days of its receipt, notify the Chair of the Sub-Committee and the ICC Secretariat. The ICC Secretariat will promptly notify all ICC Bureau members of the objection raised and will provide all necessary information to clarify that objection. If, within 20 days of receipt of this information, at least four members of the ICC Bureau, coming from not less than two regional groups, notify the ICC Secretariat that they hold a similar objection, the recommendation shall be referred to the next ICC Bureau meeting for decision. If at least four members coming from two or more regional groups do not raise objection to the recommendation within 20 days of its receipt, the recommendation shall be deemed to be approved by the ICC Bureau (the decision of the ICC Bureau on accreditation is final).
The key to A-Status accreditation is to demonstrate the applicant institution’s overall compliance with the Paris Principles, both in deed and in fact. It is therefore important for applicant institutions to understand those Principles. As mentioned above, the Sub-Committee issues General Observations (available at www.nhri.net) offer guidance on how it may interpret a particular Principle.