The Ombudsman has called for the setting up of a National Human Rights Institution (NHRI) in Malta to monitor, promote and ensure the observance of fundamental of human rights in the country.

In a statement, the Office of the Ombudsman said NHRIs are considered as central players in national human rights protection systems and play a crucial part to promote and monitor the effective implementation of international human standards on a national level.

The Office of the Ombudsman has been informally considered to be Malta’s NHRI by international authorities, including the European Ombudsman, the Commissioner for Human Rights of the European Union and the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe, the UNHCR and others.

Ombudsman Joseph Said Pullicino said the proposed commission should act as a catalyst and focal point of other national institutions and authorities both public and private, having a specific human rights mandate to coordinate and converge their activities from a national perspective.

The proposed commissioned would be headed by the Ombudsman and include representatives of national bodies and representatives of non-governmental organisations having a strong human rights content in their functions.

The proposed Commission would be autonomous and not part of government.