The Indian National Human Rights Commission will host the Seventh Meeting of the Asia Pacific Forum (APF) of National Human Rights Institution in New Delhi from 11 – 13 November 2002. As the host of the Seventh APF, the Indian Commission will also be the Chairperson of the APF until the next meeting.

The Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions was established in 1996 in Australia. Its basic aim is to develop co-operation, mutual support and to serve as a forum for dialogue between National Human Rights Commissions of the Asia Pacific Region. To become members of the APF, National Institutions must comply with the “Paris Principles”, which require that such institutions work with independence and enjoy functional and financial autonomy.

The core membership of the Forum consists of the following Commissions: -



· The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission of Australia

· The National Human Rights Commission of India

· The Indonesian National Commission on Human Rights

· The Human Rights Commission of New Zealand

· The Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines

· The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka and

· The Fiji Human Rights Commission



Subsequently, the national institutions of Nepal and Mongolia have joined the APF as members. A number of other States in the region are currently seeking to establish national human rights institutions.

The annual meetings of the Asia Pacific Forum (APF) are hosted by the member Commissions by rotation. The places/countries that have hosted earlier meetings of the APF are as follows:

Darwin, Australia - June 1996
New Delhi, India - September 1997
Jakarta, Indonesia - September 1998
Manila, Philippines - September 1999
Rotorua, New Zealand - August 2000
Colombo, Sri Lanka - September 2001