The All India Network of NGOs and Individuals working with National and State Human Rights Institutions (AINNI) welcomed the decision of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) Bureau to uphold the recommendation of the Sub Committee of Accreditation (SCA) to downgrade National Human Rights Commission of India’s accreditation status from ‘A’ to ‘B’.
In a press statement, National Working Secretary of AINNI Henri Tiphagne said the NHRC had been a member of GANHRI since 1997 and was graded ‘A’ when it was first accredited in 1998. In 2006 and 2011, NHRC was re-accredited with ‘A’ status by SCA of GANHRI.
In 2016, NHRC was deferred by the SCA for a period of one year, and in 2017, the NHRC was re-accredited with ‘A’ status. However, during the 2023 review, the NHRC was deferred for one year, and in 2024, the NHRC suffered a consecutive deferral, he said.
In May 2025, in its 45th session, the SCA recommended the downgrading of NHRC status from ‘A’ to ‘B’, highlighting its repeated non-compliance with its recommendations in 2011, 2016, 2017, 2023, and 2024. The recommendation of the SCA was challenged by NHRC through an appeal before the GANHRI Bureau. The NHRC’s appeal was supported by four National Human Rights Institutions. On December 4, GANHRI Bureau members held their meeting, he said.
The recommendation to downgrade will be implemented in April 2026 during the 47th session of SCA. AINNI calls for an upgrade to NHRC in which recommendations of SCA in 2011, 2016, 2017, 2023, 2024 and 2025 are effectively carried out through amendment of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, he said.
Published – December 05, 2025 10:39 pm IST
