The National Human Rights Commission, including the Committee for the Prevention of Torture (NHRC-CPT), announced that it has received formal confirmation from the Secretariat of the Sub-Committee on Accreditation (SCA) of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) acknowledging receipt of its international accreditation application. The application is scheduled for consideration during the SCA’s 49th session, to be held from 19 to 30 April 2027. GANHRI’s published schedule lists Lebanon among the institutions applying for accreditation for the first time, alongside Switzerland.
On 28 September 2026, the Commission submitted its Statement of Compliance with the Paris Principles, accompanied by fifteen supporting files. The application outlines the Commission’s legal foundation and safeguards for its independence, the procedures for appointing its members, the pluralism of its composition and guarantees concerning members’ terms of office, as well as its funding, human resources, premises and institutional planning. It also documents the exercise of its mandate to promote and protect human rights and prevent torture, and its cooperation with civil society, national institutions and international mechanisms.
In its acknowledgement, the Secretariat thanked the Commission for its interest in and commitment to the accreditation process. It explained that it would review the information submitted, might request additional information where necessary, and would inform the Commission of the next steps in due course. The National Institutions and Regional Mechanisms Unit of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) serves as the SCA Secretariat.
An international review of independence and effectiveness
GANHRI accreditation is a peer-review process among national human rights institutions, based on the Paris Principles as the international standards governing their independence, pluralism, broad mandate, and adequate powers and resources. The assessment examines an institution’s independence in law and practice, its ability to fulfil its mandate effectively, and its cooperation with national stakeholders and international mechanisms.
Against these standards, the review of the Commission’s application will examine the legislation and regulations governing its work, alongside evidence of how it exercises its mandate. The review will assess whether its institutional safeguards and available resources support independent and effective work to promote and protect human rights.
The SCA comprises one representative of a national human rights institution from each of the four regional groupings: Africa, the Americas, Asia-Pacific and Europe. OHCHR participates as a permanent observer and serves as the Secretariat, while the GANHRI Bureau is responsible for the final accreditation decision.
Reviewing the application and completing information before the session
During the next stage, the Secretariat will review the Statement of Compliance and supporting documentation and make them available to SCA members and permanent observers through a dedicated portal. It may contact the Commission to request clarifications or additional information to complete the application and substantiate matters requiring further examination.
Before the session, the Secretariat prepares a summary of information relevant to the application, including information contained in the reports, recommendations and observations of international mechanisms. This summary is sent to the Commission, which is given one week to review it and correct any factual errors through written comments. The summary is then made available to SCA members together with the Commission’s unedited response. The date and time for consideration of the application are also coordinated in advance as part of the session’s programme of work.
Civil society’s role in providing information
The accreditation process draws on multiple sources, including, alongside the Commission’s application, civil society submissions, reports from United Nations mechanisms and publicly available information. This approach enables the SCA to assess the institution’s performance and its relationships with human rights stakeholders.
GANHRI has set 1 March 2027 as the deadline for receiving reports from non-governmental organisations and civil society organisations concerning institutions under review at the 49th session. Reports must not exceed five pages, including footnotes and annexes, must comply with the applicable guidelines, and must be submitted to the SCA Secretariat. These reports are shared with the institution concerned before the session for its information and comments.
An interview with the Commission during the April 2027 session
During the session, SCA members will examine the Commission’s application and related information and conduct a telephone interview with its representatives to follow up on matters requiring clarification. The interview will allow the Commission to present its institutional performance and answer questions about its compliance with the Paris Principles.
It will also provide an opportunity to respond to issues raised in submissions to the SCA and explain information contained in the application, supporting an evidence-based review in which the institution concerned can provide its clarifications.
An accreditation recommendation and steps towards a final decision
Following the review, the SCA will prepare its recommendation on accreditation status, together with recommendations to address matters requiring improvement. It may recommend “A” status, denoting full compliance with the Paris Principles, or “B” status, denoting partial compliance. It may also decide to defer consideration of the application to allow specific matters to be addressed before making a recommendation on accreditation status. Institutions awarded “A” status also receive recommendations for improvement as part of the continuing development of their performance.
The Commission will be notified of the recommendation after the session and may challenge it within twenty-eight days, in accordance with the procedures set out in the GANHRI Statute. The recommendation is forwarded to the GANHRI Bureau to complete the final decision-making process. It is deemed accepted by the Bureau if no challenge is submitted or if a challenge is unsuccessful under the applicable procedure.
Accordingly, the April 2027 session establishes the timeframe for reviewing the application, while announcement of the final outcome depends on completion of the notification, challenge and decision-making procedures. The session’s report and recommendations will be published on GANHRI’s website once the relevant procedures have been completed.
The National Human Rights Commission, including the Committee for the Prevention of Torture, reaffirms its commitment to continued cooperation with the SCA Secretariat, providing supplementary information and evidence of its performance, and using the review to strengthen its independence, effectiveness and accountability.
The Commission views the accreditation process as an opportunity to develop its institutional work and consolidate cooperation with civil society, national institutions and international mechanisms, strengthening its capacity to protect rights, follow up on violations, advance torture prevention and work towards effective remedies in Lebanon.
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