The Irish Human Rights Commission (IHRC) has been re-elected chair of the European Group of National Human Rights Institutions for the next two years. It is the secondconsecutive time Ireland has received this honour and that IHRC President Dr Maurice Manning will represent the IHRC in this capacity. The IHRC was re-elected into this role at the European Group meeting on Wednesday 17 September 2008 in Dublin. The IHRC was elected following the conclusion of a successful two-day conference co-organised with the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr Thomas Hammarberg on ‘Domestic Protection of Human Rights – Strengthening Independent National Structures’.
Dr. Maurice Manning, said "we are honoured by the confidence and trust which our European colleagues have shown in re-electing the Irish Commission to lead the European Group for the coming two years. In the course of those two years we expect to see even greater co-operation between National Human Rights Institutions, and the strengthening of partnerships with international and regional human rights institutions such as the Council of Europe, the United Nations, and the European Union Fundamental Human Rights Agecy, in the pursuit of common human rights objectives."
The meeting was also attended by Mr Éamonn Mac Aodha, Chief Executive of the Irish Human Rights Commission who said "we are very pleased that confidence has once again been shown by our European counterparts in the IHRC. The election of the IHRC is a welcome endorsement of our work, both domestically and internationally. We look forward in the next two years to continuing to steering European involvement in a wide-range of pressing human rights issues".
The European Group of National Human Rights Institutions includes institutions such as commissions, human rights ombudsmen, institutes, advisory commissions and people’s defenders. Similar regional structures exist for the Asia/Pacific area, Africa and the Americas. The European Co-ordinating Committee represents the European Group of national human rights institutions on a global co-ordinating committee.
In addition to its regular meetings, the European Co-ordinating Committee provides a permanent forum for exchange between its members. It may adopt common positions or work collectively on a common area of concern.
"Involvement in the European Group has proven highly beneficial to all members in terms of informed debate and sharing of best practice," concluded Dr. Maurice Manning, President of the IHRC.
For further information, please contact:
Fidelma Joyce
Senior Human Rights Awareness Officer
Irish Human Rights Commission.
Jervis House,
Jervis Street,
Dublin 1.
Mob: 087 783 4939
E-mail: info@ihrc.ie
Website : http://www.ihrc.ie