Towards the establishment of a fully compliant national human rights institution in Italy

Abstract

This dissertation concerns the establishment of a National Human Rights Institution (NHRI) in Italy. In particular, whether the country is currently on the right track in the process of creating one that can be accredited as fully compliant with the Paris Principles and if it will be, according to these international criteria, likely to be able to efficiently work for the protection and promotion of human rights. The thesis firstly explores what exactly National Human Rights Institutions are, and the role they play in the human rights global, regional and national scenario. It then argues that there are institutional models that comply better with the minimum standards of the Paris Principles, and are better equipped to forward a more consistent implementation of international human rights standards. After an analysis of the Italian unified draft law for the establishment of a “National commission for the promotion and protection of fundamental human rights and for the fight against discrimination”, it concludes with an assessment of its compliance with the Paris Principles.