The Institute signed a new agreement today for continued cooperation with the Network of African National Human Rights Institutions (NANHRI). We took the opportunity to ask two questions to Mr. Gilbert Sebihogo, NANHRI’s Executive Director, while he was visiting the Lund office.
Why do you think it’s important to work with National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs)?
This is a question I’ve been asked so many times. Why should we invest in NHRIs if they are already funded by their own states? NHRIs are at the core of the national human rights protection mechanism. These bodies, being independent entities, I think can push the agenda of human rights at the national level. That’s why we believe that strengthening the capacity of NHRIs can really contribute to the culture of human rights in countries.
How do you feel about continued cooperation with RWI going forward in 2015?
RWI has been a privileged partner of NANHRI. Support has been provided for many years. Now NANHRI has its strategic plan with five key areas. Together with RWI, we have implemented many activities that have been useful for our members. We look forward to seeing RWI continue to partner with us.