The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) participated in the Inter-governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Governance Forum on Promoting and Deepening Democratic Governance through the Ratification and Domestication of Regional and Continental Instruments, held from November 27 -29, 2023 in Mombasa, Kenya.

During the Forum, EHRC was elected unanimously as the 1st Chair of the IGAD National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) Network which was launched in June 2023 with the general objective of fostering cooperation, collaboration, and communication among the NHRIs of IGAD Member States, towards the execution of their respective mandates in the promotion and protection of human rights, including sharing information and developing intervention strategies on human rights issues in the sub-region. The Kenyan National Commission for Human Rights was elected as the Vice Chair of the Network.

The workshop's participants constitute a diverse representation of stakeholders from IGAD Member States, the Network of IGAD NHRIs, Election Management Bodies, and Civil Society Organisations
The workshop’s participants constitute a diverse representation of stakeholders from IGAD Member States, the Network of IGAD NHRIs, Election Management Bodies, and Civil Society Organisations

As the Chair of the IGAD NHRIs Network, EHRC will support collaboration among NHRIs of IGAD Member States and enhance their work in promoting and protecting human rights independently and effectively. It will also work towards the achievement of the specific objectives of the Network, including lobbying Member States to provide support to NHRIs, including adequate budget; facilitating training for NHRIs on emerging human rights issues, early warning and early response in human rights violations; undertaking sensitization and dissemination of sub-regional and continental instruments, with particular focus on vulnerable groups and marginalized communities; and facilitating joint activities of NHRIs on cross-border human rights issues among others. Furthermore, the IGAD NHRIs Network is expected to work closely with the Network of African NHRIs (NANHRI), IGAD, and other regional and international human rights mechanisms.