NHRI, which was created by the Storting in 2014, submitted its first annual report to the Storting on Friday, 1 April, and took the opportunity to invite guests to a launch conference.

The President of the Storting, Olemic Thommessen, and Sami Parliament President Aili Keskitalo were invited to help open the conference.

During his speech, Mr Thommessen pointed out that NHRI’s ties to the Storting (Norway’s national parliament) will help elevate the topic of human rights both in the Storting and in the public at large.

“The association with the Storting provides extra opportunity to put the human rights issue on the agenda,” he said. “In the Storting it will be natural for us to schedule an annual debate on the human rights situation, using NHRI’s annual report to Storting as the basis.”

NHRI Director Petter Wille acknowledged in his speech that Norway has a well-developed system of monitoring and implementing human rights, but he said we must not become complacent.

“Despite laws, conventions and governance systems we have significant human rights challenges in Norway which should be investigated,” Mr Wille said. “Overall monitoring is therefore a key task for the new institution.”

The President of the Storting thanked NHRI for its effectiveness, and referred to the annual report submitted on 1 April – before the institution’s launch conference.

Read NHRI’s annual report (in Norwegian) for 2015.

Read more about NHRI.