National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) are key institutions that are independent from, yet work with, governments in promoting and protecting human rights. NHRIs can play a key role in helping to prevent conflict; they advocate for the rights of minorities and the disadvantaged, and ensure respect for human rights.

On 5 December 2016, over 50 representatives from NHRIs from Europe, Central Asia and the Arab States, as well as development experts, civil society activists, and human rights specialists convened in Istanbul for a one-day consultation. The objective was to raise NHRIs’ awareness of the 2030 Development Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), discuss their possible role and the role of the human rights-based approach in the implementation and monitoring of the SDGs, and identify the policy guidance and capacity support NHRIs need to fulfill this particular role. The event also provided a forum for cross-regional consultation of NHRIs from Europe, Central Asia and Arab States.