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Parliaments as Human Rights Actors : The Potential for International Principles on Parliamentary Human Rights Committees
Title / Series / Name
Publication Volume
Publication Issue
Pages
Authors
Keywords
Parliaments
Human Rights
KZ Law of Nations
HN Social history and conditions. Social problems. Social reform
Law
Political Science and International Relations
SDG 16 - Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Human Rights
KZ Law of Nations
HN Social history and conditions. Social problems. Social reform
Law
Political Science and International Relations
SDG 16 - Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
URI
https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14018/26541
Abstract
Parliaments have long been overlooked as national human rights actors. Yet given their powers to oversee the executive, and functions that can ensure laws, policy and practice are in compliance with the state's international human rights commitments, they have significant potential in supporting the international human rights system and improving the implementation of international standards at the domestic level. Building on previous UN Human Rights Council and General Assembly resolutions encouraging human rights engagement by parliaments, in June 2018 the 32Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) published a set of draft principles aimed at strengthening the interaction of parliaments with the national and international systems, and placing them as an active part of the national human rights system through the establishment of dedicated parliamentary human rights committees. In the context of these ongoing efforts, this article considers the potential for the new (soft) standards for parliamentary human rights mechanisms, critically assessing the UN initiative. It discusses the challenges inherent in formal parliamentary engagement on human rights through committees, particularly at the international level, argues for necessary safeguards, and makes proposals for further research and institutional initiatives to solidify parliaments' role as effective national human rights actors.
Topic
Publisher
Place of Publication
Type
Book chapter
Date
2021
Language
ISBN
9781000434774
9781003181248
9781003181248