National Human Rights Institutions in the Western Balkans

Human Rights and Gender Equality Network of Committees in the Western Balkan (HUGEN) was established as a non-formal parliamentary network, on a voluntary basis and principles, in October 2019. HUGEN was established with the aim of enhancing existing and developing new mechanisms for regional parliamentary cooperation on human rights and gender issues in the Western Balkan region and for developing more robust parliamentary oversight of human rights and gender laws and policies. 

HUGEN Network is consisting of eight participating parliaments in the Western Balkan region. Currently, 15 human rights and gender equality committees are participating in the Network’s work. Participation of the committees, members of parliament and parliamentary staff in the Network is on a voluntary and inclusive basis and in line with established regional practices. HUGEN Network is holding no legal subjectivity neither it is holding international legal subjectivity- HUGEN is not an international organisation. 

Work of national human right institutions (NHRI) is very important for protection and promotion of human rights. NHRIs are essential components of effective human rights protection system. It could be considered that NHRIs are representing a very significant and valuable partner for parliaments in supporting their work and enhancing their oversight capacities.

This online tool has been created in order to map and monitor general recommendations made by NHRIs from the Western Balkan region. Total of 16 different NHRIs which are established in order to protect and promote human rights are represented by this tool. Having in mind that NHRIs are in general required to report about their work to parliaments on a yearly basis, those reports are serving as a core component for extracting relevant data and information.

Tool is mapping and monitoring recommendations made by ombudsperson, equality bodies and independent institutions which have competence to protect and promote free access to information and data protection. Tool is translated and available in 4 languages- English, Albanian, BCMS (Bosnian-Croatian-Montenegrin-Serbian) and Macedonian.