Chapter 1
Introducing National Human
Rights Institutions

Chapter 2
Models of NHRIs

Chapter 3
Roles and Responsabilities of
NHRIs

Chapter 4
The Rule of Law and the NHRI

Chapter 5
NHRIs, Development and
Democratic Governance

Chapter 6
Situating NHRI Support in the UN Planning & Programming Process

Chapter 7
Pre-establishment Phase of NHRIs

Chapter 8
Establishing NHRIs

Chapter 9
Consolidation Phase:
Strengthening the Mature NHRI

Chapter 10
Paris Principles and Accreditation

NHRIs Detention Monitoring


QUICK FACTS ABOUT NHRIS AND RECEIVING COMPLAINTS FROM DETAINEES:

According to a recent survey, 75% of NHRIs said that they receive complaints from detainees. The percentage that receive complaints from detainees was highest in the Asia Paci"c region (100%), followed by the Americas (88.8%), Africa (73.6%) and Europe (57.2%).

Of these respondents, a total of 36 NHRIs provided statistics on complaints of torture and ill-treatment, as shown by the following regional breakdown:


Figure 1: COMPLAINTS STATISTICS - TORTURE AND ILL-TREATMENT

fig1

Respondents reported a wide range of issues from torture to ill-treatment, including: assault and brutality by security personnel, inadequate diet, poor conditions and overcrowding, unnecessary isolation, and forced medical trials.

OHCHR, Survey of National Human Rights Institutions: Report on the Findings and Recommendations of a Questionnaire Addressed to NHRIs Worldwide. 2009. www.nhri.net


QUICK FACTS ABOUT NHRIS DETENTION MONITORING

According to a recent survey, a high percentage of respondent NHRIs (83.6%) conduct visits to places of detention. The percentage in the Americas is 100%, with African NHRIs at 94.7% and the Asia Paci"c at 91.6%. However, the figures were lower in Europe (61.9%). Most African, European and Asia Pacific NHRIs said there were other bodies empowered to visit places of detention (the percentage was notably lower in the Americas at 55.5%).10

FIGURE 2: NUMBER OF DETENTION VISITS IN 2008

fig2

OHCHR, Survey of National Human Rights Institutions: Report on the Findings and Recommendations of a Questionnaire Addressed to NHRIs Worldwide. 2009. www.nhri.net