The Paris Principles and global NHRI standards emphasize that National Human Rights Institutions should work closely with civil society to monitor, report on, and follow up human rights issues, positioning NHRIs as ‘bridge builders.’ In line with this, the EHRC established the EHRC–CSO Coordination Platform as a formal mechanism for collaboration.

Membership of the Coordination Platform is open to CSOs that are working on human rights directly or development organizations that explicitly uphold human rights values and principles; with the assumption that all members are expected to contribute to the objective of the Platform and/or their thematic sub-groups. CSOs who participated in the annual workshops from August 2020 to December 2023 are assumed to be members of the Coordination Platform without application, unless they expressly cancel their membership.

With the view to encourage honest and transparent conversation, all meetings shall be conducted under the Chatham House rules which require that no information shared can be directly quoted or attributed in media or any other external communication. Meeting minutes will record key decisions but omit sensitive content.

Moving beyond short-term project funding, it establishes a multi-year vision (2025-2030) that ensures continuity, independence, and institutional growth for the platform and its members. The sustainability of the EHRC-CSOs Coordination Platform depends on strategic partnerships, proactive donor relations, and national ownership.