Law No. 62 on the Establishment of the National Human Rights Commission, including the Committee for the Prevention of Torture (NHRC-CPT), was ratified on October 27, 2016, based on the Paris Principles, which govern the mechanisms of establishing and running NHRCs. It followed several recommendations from the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) and international treaty bodies to establish Lebanon’s NHRI.
NHRIs have a broad mandate, pluralism in membership, broad functions, adequate powers, adequate resources, cooperative methods, and engagement with international bodies. Full compliance with the Paris Principles provides NHRIs with international recognition.
Although funded by the state, NHRIs are independent. They are not considered Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), but serve as a “bridge” between civil societies and governments. They go by various names, depending on the country. For example, they may be called a commission, a committee, a human rights council, an ombudsman, a public defense, conciliation, or the defense of the people's interests.