CHR at the Academy of National Human Rights Institutions
Date:
The Commissioner for Human Rights Marcin Wiącek took part in the opening session of the first day of the Academy of National Human Rights Institutions (NHRI), which takes place in Warsaw on 9-13 June 2025. The event is organized annually in different countries by the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the European Network of National Human Rights Institutions (ENNHRI).
In his speech, the Commissioner for Human Rights emphasized the exceptional importance of the activities of human rights defenders in civil society. In particular, he referred to Polish examples of abuses of power against human rights defenders, such as the cases of activists on the Polish-Belarusian border and participants in protests against the tightening of abortion law. He also pointed out the need to maintain the independence of human rights institutions as links between civil society and the judiciary.
During the event, the Commissioner for Human Rights Marcin Wiącek also talked to the Director of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Maria Telalian. The discussions focused on the cooperation between the two institutions and current issues related to the protection of human rights. ODIHR is one of the key institutions of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, responsible for promoting democracy, human rights and the rule of law in OSCE participating States. Maria Telalian comes from Greece and took up the position of Director of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights in December 2024.
The week-long NHRI Academy brings together senior and mid-level staff from 25 national human rights institutions from across the OSCE region to receive tailored and practical training on how to address specific challenges faced by NHRIs in their work.
The training provides selected NHRI staff with a unique opportunity to learn and exchange experiences during a series of lectures, interactive sessions and workshops. This year’s edition focuses on strengthening the capacity of national human rights institutions to address challenges related to human rights defenders, including their protection and monitoring their situation. The Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights is represented by Magdalena Kurek from the Team for Presidential Affairs and International Cooperation.
