One NHRI or Many? How Many Institutions Does It Take to Protect Human Rights? – Lessons from the European Experience

摘要

The question of whether to establish a single national human rights institution (NHRI) with a broad mandate or multiple specialized institutions is a pressing one in several European countries, yet has been largely neglected in the academic literature. Many states have gradually acquired specialized institutions, addressing particular grounds of discrimination or the rights of different vulnerable groups. Often for reasons of cost, the wisdom of having many institutions is being questioned, and several countries – the United Kingdom (UK), Sweden, Croatia, for example – have merged multiple institutions or are considering such a step.