End of the term of Eva Tzavala as Chair of ENNHRI's Asylum and Migration Working Group

On 14 March 2024 the term of Eva Tzavala, GNCHR’s Head of Scientific Unit as Chair of ENNHRI’s Asylum and Migration Working Group, comprising of more than 35 European National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs), has ended. It has been a productive and successful three-year term on enhancing NHRIs’ capacity to address migration challenges, asserting NHRIs’ and ENNHRI’s role on migration matters at regional level and strengthening protection of human rights of migrants across Europe.

In the past 3 years, significant developments such as the negotiation and adoption of the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum, the activation of the Temporary Protection Directive for people fleeing Ukraine after Russia’s invasion and multiple crises at borders (such as the instrumentalisation of migrants) have occurred.

In this context, ENNHRI’s Asylum and Migration Working Group through regular meetings, capacity-building events and specific projects provided a safe space for NHRI staff to exchange views and information, share concerns and good practices, reflect on everyday challenges and ways to improve their capacity, efficiency and response to human rights challenges.

At the same time, the Working Group assisted the Network in formulating its expert opinion or position in response to regional developments affecting the rights of people fleeing war and persecution. Furthermore, the role of NHRIs at national and regional level as actors in migration matters was strengthened. Bilateral cooperation between European NHRIs and/or with external stakeholders (OHCHR, OSCE, Council of Europe, FRA, Frontex, international NGOs a.o.) was promoted and facilitated.

Here are some key deliverables of the Working Group during the GNCHR’s chairmanship (2021-2024):

• Opinion on independent human rights monitoring mechanisms at borders under the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum
• Paper on human rights scrutiny of public funds for migration and asylum
• Report on the human rights of migrants at borders
• Paper on ten points to guide the establishment of an independent and effective national border monitoring mechanism in Greece
• Statement on urgent and critical human rights concerns at the Eastern borders of the European Union
• Paper on the role of NHRIs in upholding the human rights of migrants and asylum seekers in the light of recent EU developments
• Report on gaps in human rights accountability at border
• Report on strengthening human rights accountability at Borders
• Statement on the need for long-term solutions based on respect for human rights and regional solidarity to support those fleeing Ukraine
• Paper on technologies, migration, and human rights: the role of European NHRIs [forthcoming]