Netherlands Institute for Human Rights

Logo of the organisation

Full name in English

Full name in national languages

College voor de Rechten van de Mens

Postal address

Kleinesingel 1-3 P.O. Box 16001 3500DA Utrecht Netherlands

Website

https://www.mensenrechten.nl/

Email

info@mensenrechten.nl

Social media

Telephone number

+31308883888

Languages in which your institution can be contacted

Dutch, English

Head(s) of Equality body

Jacobine Geel

Jan-Peter Loof

field_email

Overview

Mandate

Institution

Overview

The Netherlands Institute for Human Rights explains, monitors and protects human rights, promotes respect for human rights (including equal treatment) in practice, policy and legislation, and increases the awareness of human rights in the Netherlands. This applies to the European part of the Netherlands as well as to the islands of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba (the Carribean Netherlands).

Brief history

The Netherlands Institute for Human Rights was founded in 2012. The NIHR came
into being by an act of Parliament. All the powers of the former Equal Treatment Commission (CGB) were transferred to the Institute.

With the creation of the Institute, the Netherlands has fulfilled UN resolution 48/1342. This resolution contains assurances for the independence of and recommendations concerning the role, composition, status and functions of national human rights bodies, the so-called Paris Principles. Both the law and the Netherlands Institute for Human Rights have been drafted/created on the basis of these principles.

In 2014, the Institute was awarded A-status by the International Coordinating Committee for national human rights institutions (ICC). This constituted international recognition that the Paris Principles are being fulfilled.

Mandate

Sectors covered

Private, Public

Legal standing before the courts

Bringing proceedings in the name of the equality body [with or without an identifiable victim] but on behalf of one or more individual person(s) who consents to this., Amicus curiae brief or similar, Intervention in support of a party

Functions

Making recommendations on claims of discrimination [or other decisions on the merit that are not legally binding]
Undertaking ex-officio investigations
Organising training, advising and capacity-building activities for particular stakeholders on meeting their obligations
Organising awareness raising and communication activities
Advising government on the development, adoption and amendment of law and policy
Monitoring national law and policy from an equality perspective
Carrying out specialist research on equality and non-discrimination
Reporting to national and international bodies on discrimination issues
Networking with relevant entities in the country and internationally

Fields and grounds

Fields	Grounds
Employment	Gender, Gender Identity, Sexual Orientation, Race and Ethnic Origin, Age, Disability, Health Status, Religion or Belief, Other Grounds, Family Status
Education	Gender, Gender Identity, Sexual Orientation, Race and Ethnic Origin, Religion or Belief, Age, Disability, Health Status, Other Grounds, Family Status
Housing	Gender, Gender Identity, Sexual Orientation, Race and Ethnic Origin, Disability, Health Status, Religion or Belief, Other Grounds, Family Status, Age
Social Protection & Healthcare	Gender, Gender Identity, Sexual Orientation, Race and Ethnic Origin, Disability, Health Status, Religion or Belief, Other Grounds, Family Status, Age
Goods and Services	Gender, Gender Identity, Sexual Orientation, Race and Ethnic Origin, Religion or Belief, Disability, Health Status, Other Grounds, Family Status, Age
Other	Gender, Gender Identity, Sexual Orientation, Race and Ethnic Origin, Religion or Belief, Disability, Health Status, Family Status, Other Grounds, Age

Other grounds

Nationality, civil status, fixed-term contracts versus permanent contracts, part-time/full time contracts (the last two only in the labour context)

Other functions

Addressing violence against women
Addressing hate crimes
Addressing hate speech

Other mandates of the institution

Multi-mandate equality body

National human rights institution

Statistics

	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021
Number of cases handled	422	463	416	510	541	638	739
Number of inquiries	2150	3143	4259	3168	3529	3581	5286
Number of litigation cases					1

Institution

Management and Appointments

Management

Collegiate headed equality body (led by a distinct board/commission)

The Netherlands Institute for Human Rights is an independent administrative body. The Institute consists of (at most) 12 members appointed by the Crown. The Institute is supported by an office, which at the start of the organisation was on a scale of about 50 full time employees. The staff is comprised of civil servants employed by the Institute.

Procedure for nomination and appointment of management and board

The Institute consists of (at most) 12 members, appointed by the Crown. The Institute is supported by an office, which at the start of the organisation was on a scale of about 50 full time employees. The staff is comprised of civil servants employed by the Institute.

Regional or Local offices

This institution does not have regional officies.

Accountability

National Ministry

Number of staff

	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2020	2021	2021
Number of staff members working on equality								25

Operating budget

	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2020	2021	2021
Operating budget in euros [ACTUAL]
Operating budget in euros [ALLOCATED]
Operating budget in euros for the parts of the organisation dealing with equality issues (all types of functions) [ACTUAL]
Operating budget in euros for the parts of the organisation dealing with equality issues (all types of functions) [ALLOCATED]