Rubina Lalayan, Head of the International Cooperation Department of the Office of the Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Armenia, participated in the General Assembly and Leaders’ Forum of the European Network of National Human Rights Institutions (ENNHRI), held in Brussels, Kingdom of Belgium, from 3 to 6 November 2026.
The General Assembly’s agenda included the presidential election, the presentation of the Secretary General’s progress report and the Treasurer’s financial reports, the framework for implementing the Strategic Plan, reports from the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI), and the 2027 Action Plan.
The Leaders’ Forum provided a platform for national human rights institutions (NHRIs) to identify priorities, discuss possible responses to interference, and explore collective action. Sessions addressed institutional resilience to threats and crisis preparedness, engagement with local actors, and the challenges associated with NHRIs’ multiple mandates and the high expectations placed on them.
Discussions highlighted obstacles to the effective fulfilment of NHRIs’ mandates, including growing societal polarisation, democratic backsliding, armed conflicts, pressure on independent institutions, and the spread of disinformation.
Participants also discussed the new opportunities and risks that emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, present for human rights protection.
Participation in such gatherings is important for exchanging experience and strengthening mutual support among the leaders of national human rights institutions.
