Human Rights Commission - Selection Process Must Be Fair & Transparent

Published: Monday, December 18, 2000

The following organisations welcome the statement by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson, echoing our concern at the lack of transparency demonstrated by the Government in its recent appointments to the new Human Rights Commission.

Reports in the media over the last few days have suggested that the Government rejected the recommendations made by the independent selection committee because it decided that the eight nominees chosen unanimously by the selection committee did not meet the requirement of the legislation that the Commission be "broadly representative of society". However, we understand that the selection committee agreed objective criteria that were rigorously adhered to in drawing up the committee's carefully considered recommendations.

If the Government has chosen to reject the objective selection criteria used by the independent selection committee, we call on the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, in the interest of transparency, to make explicit the alternative criteria which the Government has utilised in making appointments to the Commission.

If the Human Rights Commission is to gain credibility among those whose rights it was established to defend, it is also crucial that any future action by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform be determined according to transparent and objective criteria.

• National Women's Council of Ireland
• National Traveller Women's Forum
• Irish Refugee Council
• Comhlámh
• Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
• Galway One-World Centre
• Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed
• Irish Council for Civil Liberties
• Women's Aid
• Women's Education Research and Resource Centre
• Conference of Religious in Ireland (CORI) Justice Commission
• Banulacht
• Project Karibu
• Niamh Reilly
• Women Educating for Transformation