The Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights
The creation of the Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights is based on a resolution adopted by the Committee of Ministers in 1999. As an independent body, the Commissioner works towards protecting human rights and raising public awareness in regard to them, in the 46 Council of Europe member states.
The Commissioner visits the Council of Europe’s member states in order to gain information from political stakeholders, NGOs and members of civil society on site. He meets with leading politicians and participates in round-table talks.
He offers advice in human rights matters, points out possible shortcomings in law and practice, and assists the member states in the implementation of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).
Furthermore, the Commissioner keeps the Committee of Ministers regularly posted on his findings, both orally and in writing, and he publishes country reports and viewpoints for the media.
The Commissioner is elected by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe for a non-recurring six-year term of office. In April 2024, Michael O’Flaherty from Ireland took office as the Council of Europe’s Human Rights Commissioner, following Dunja Mijatović from Bosnia-Herzegovina, Nils Muižnieks from Latvia (2012-2018), Thomas Hammarberg from Sweden (2006-2012) and Alvaro Gil-Robles from Spain (1999-2006).
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Photo © CoE
