Danish Institute for Human Rights

The Danish Institute for Human Rights (DIHR) is a national human rights institution (NHRI) operating in accordance with the UN Paris Principles. The DIHR was originally established as the Danish Centre for Human Rights by a parliamentary decision on 5 May 1987. On 1 January 2003 the DIHR changed its status as a consequence of Act No. 411 of 6 June 2002 on the Establishment of the Danish Centre for International Studies and Human Rights.

The work of DIHR includes research, analysis, information, education, documentation, as well as a large number of national and international programmes. In 2003 the Complaints Committee for Ethnic Equal Treatment was established as part of the DIHR, and in 2004 the Institute was also given the power to hear cases on discrimination on the grounds of race or ethnic origin in the labour market. Complaint-handling functions have since been passed on to another agency and nowadays the DIHR is mainly involved in research and policy, domestically and internationally.

DIHR takes a multidisciplinary approach to human rights, and operates with a staff of around 110 employees who specialise primarily in the areas of law, political science, economics, and social studies. Of the approximately 68 national human rights institutions, DIHR is one of the largest and is highly respected internationally. It is one of the few NHRIs that has actively engaged in defining the role of corporations in human rights protection, developing the first and most frequently used tool for Human Rights Impact Assessment.^{[citation needed]}

DIHR is accredited with "A status" by the International Co-ordinating Committee of NHRIs (ICC), giving it enhanced access to United Nations human rights committees. DIHR chaired the ICC from 2004-2006, and has also chaired the European Group of NHRIs.

Executive Directors

Jonas Christoffersen 2009 -

Hans-Otto Sano 2008 - 2009

Morten Kjærum 1991 - 2008 (subsequently director of the European Union Fundamental Rights Agency)

Lars Adam Rehof 1987 - 1991

Legislation

• Act No. 411 of 6 June 2002 on the Establishment of the Danish Centre for International Studies and Human Rights.
• Act no. 374 of 28 May 2003 on Ethnic Equal Treatment.
• Act no. 40 of 30 March 2004.

Wiki links

• International Coordinating Committee of National Human Rights Institutions
• ICC Working Group on Business and Human Rights

External links

• The Danish Institute for Human Rights website
• National Human Rights Institutions Forum - Official Portal for the global network of National Human Rights Institutions

• The organisation of Danish Institute for Human Rights