afrol News, 22 October - Human rights institutions meeting for next three days in Nairobi are expected to conclude with adoption of a declaration providing further guidance on the role national rights institutions can play on issues related to rule of law and administration of justice.

More than 150 delegates from 71 countries are convening today at a UN conference in Nairobi to explore roles of national bodies set up to protect or promote human rights in relation to the judiciary, law enforcement and monitoring of detention centres.

During the three-day meeting, national human rights institutions will also report on activities undertaken as part of the Dignity and Justice for Detainees Initiative.

Launched earlier this month by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navanethem Pillay, initiative seeks to increase pressure on States, parliaments, judiciaries and other relevant institutions to abolish - or at least reduce - arbitrary and unlawful detention.

As part of the campaign to celebrate 60th anniversary of Universal Declaration of Human Rights on 10 December, scheme also seeks to ensure that conditions in prisons and other places of detention are brought in line with minimum global standards, UN commission has said.

The gathering has been organised by Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in cooperation with Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie, Swedish International Development Corporation Agency and UN Development Programme (UNDP).

By staff writer

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