25th November2014
This morning CEPS welcomed Stefane Andre Leny of Blandford Consulting, an organisation which is conducting a study of National Human Rights Institutions in Africa. The focus group session with CSOs and NGOs took place in the CEPS Conference room and included representatives from Light Amidts My Path, Association With People with Hearing Impairment (APHI), Seychelles Occupational Therapy Association (SEYOTA), National Consumers Forum (NATCOF), Association of Media Pratitioners Seychelles (AMPS), Office for Migrants & ASSF. CEPS CEO Mr Steve lalande, Gender, Right and Governance Commissioner Mrs Monica Servina and Faith Base Organization Mrs.Christianne Vidot were also present.
Blandford Consulting has been appointed on behalf of the Network of African National Human Rights Institutions (NANHRI) in collaboration with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) to conduct a study on the state and performance of African Human Rights Institutions (NHRI). The overall objective of the assignment is to establish the state of NHRIs, highlight good practices, identify gaps and capacity challenges and identify key elements, frameworks and tools that can be recommended for further discussion and subsequent adoption by policy makers in Africa
The project aims to look at National Human Rights Institutions (NHRI) in Africa, with special focus on 9 different African countries. The Seychelles Human Rights Commission has been chosen as one of the 9 NHRIs that will be featured in this study. Blandford Consulting will be focusing on 6 different key thematic themes, namely:
1. Establishment and Oversight of the NHRI
2. Independence of the NHRI
3. NHRI Financing
4. Rights base Service Delivery and Development
5. Capacity of the NHRI
6. Stakeholder Engagement
The meeting was fruitful and CEPS now awaits a copy of the report from Blandford Consulting.
