編者導讀

巴黎原則針對促進和保護人權的國家機構作出了規定，藉此原則確認該種機構的地位，對於它的權限與職責、組織的獨立性與多元化的保障、業務方法等等作出規定。

該原則先於1992年以聯合國人權委員會決議第1992/54號通過，後於1993年以聯合國大會決議第48/134號決議核可。

以下中文版本內容取自監察院人權保障主題網，英文版本取自聯合國網站。在聯合國大會決議上，該原則以決議附件呈現，決議的漢文及英文連結如下：

中文版本

英文版本

中文版本全文

聯合國大會第四十八屆會議
大會決議
48/134促進和保護人權的國家機構

附件：
關於國家機構的地位的原則

權限與職責

1. 應賦予國家機構促進和保護人權的權限。
2. 應賦予國家機構盡可能廣泛的授權，對這種授權在憲法和立法案文中應有明確規定，並具體規定其組成和權限範圍。
3. 國家機構除其它外，應具有以下職責：
   (a) 應有關當局的要求，或通過行使其在不需向上級請示逕行聽審案件的權利，就有關促進和保護人權的任何事項，向政府、議會和任何其它主管機構提出意見、建議、提議和報告；並可決定予以公布；這些意見、建議、提議和報告以及該國家機構的任何特權應與以下領域有關係：
   (1) 目的在於維持和擴大保護人權的任何立法和行政規定以及有關司法組織的規定；為此，國家機構應審查現行的立法和行政規定，以及法案和提案，並提出它認為合適的建議，以確保這些規定符合人權的基本原則；必要時，它應建議通過新的立法，修正現行的立法以及通過或修正行政措施；
   (2) 它決定處理的任何侵犯人權的情況；
   (3) 就人權問題的一般國家情況和比較具體的事項編寫報告；
   (4) 提請政府注意國內任何地區人權遭受侵犯的情況，建議政府主動採取結束這種情況的行動，並視情況需要對政府要採取的立場和作出的反應提出意見；
   (b) 促進並確保國家的立法規章和慣例與該國所加入的國際人權文書協調，及其有效執行；
   (c) 鼓勵批准上述文書或加入這些文書並確保其執行；
   (d) 對各國按照其各自條約義務要向聯合國機構和委員會以及向區域機構提交的報告作出貢獻，必要時，在對國家獨立性給予應有尊重的情況下，表示對問題的意見；
   (e) 與聯合國和聯合國系統內的任何其他組織、各區域機構以及別國主管促進和保護人權領域工作的國家機構進行合作；
   (f) 協助制定人權問題教學方案和研究方案，並參加這些方案在學校、大學和專業團體中的執行；
   (g) 宣傳人權和反對各種形式的歧視，特別是種族歧視的工作，並透過宣傳和教育來提高公眾認識。

組成和獨立性與多元化的保障

1. 國家機構的組成及其成員的任命，不論是通過選舉產生還是通過其他方式產生，必須按一定程序予以確定，這一程序應提供一切必要保障，以確保參與促進和保護人權的(民治社會的)社會力量的多元代表性，特別是要依靠那些能夠促使與以下各方面代表，或通過這些代表的參與，建立有效合作的力量：
   (a) 負責人權和對種族歧視作鬥爭的非政府組織、工會、有關的社會和專業組織，例如律師、醫生、新聞記者和著名科學家協會；
   (b) 哲學或宗教思想流派；
   (c) 大學和合格的專家；
   (d) 議會；
   (e) 政府部門(如果包括它們，則它們的代表只能以顧問身份參加討論)。

2. 國家機構應具備其能順利開展活動的基礎結構，特別是充足的經費。這一經費的目的是使它能有自己的工作人員和辦公房舍，以便獨立於政府，而不受可能影響其獨立性的財政控制。
3. 為了確保國家機構成員的任務期限的穩定(沒有這一點就不可能有真正的獨立性)，對他們的任命應通過一項正式法令來實行，這種法令應規定明確的任務期限。只要機構的成員多元化得到保證，這種任務期限可續延。

業務方法

在其業務範圍內，國家機構應：

1. 根據其成員或任何請願人的提議，自由審議屬於其權限範圍內的任何問題，不論這些問題是由政府提出，還是該機構無須向上級機構請示而自行處理的；
2. 為評估屬於其權限範圍內的情況，聽取任何人的陳述和獲得任何必要的資料及文件；
3. 可直接或通過任何新聞機構廣為公布其意見和建議；
4. 定期並於必要時，經正式召集後召開有全體成員出席的會議；
5. 必要時建立成員工作小組，並設立地方或地區分機構，協助國家機構履行任務；
6. 與負責和促進保護人權的其他機構保持協商，不論它們是否有管轄權 (特別是與監察專員、調解人和類似機構保持協商)；
7. 鑑於在開展國家機構工作的過程中非政府組織所發揮的根本作用，應同專門促進和保護人權、從事經濟和社會發展、與種族主義進行鬥爭、保護特別易受傷害群體(尤其是兒童、移徙工人、難民、身心殘疾者)或致力專門領域的非政府組織發展關係。

關於具有準管轄權的委員會的地位的附加原則

可以授權一國家機構負責受理和審議有關個別情況的申訴和請願。個人、他們的代表、第三方非政府組織、工會聯合會或任何其他代表性組織都可把案件提交此機構。在這種情況下，並在不損害涉及委員會其他權力的上述原則的情形下，交託委員會的職務可根據下列原則：

1. 通過調解或在法律規定的限度內，通過有約束力的決定，或必要時在保持機密的基礎上，求得滿意的解決；
2. 告訴申訴者所具有之權利以及可利用之救濟辦法，並協助其利用各種救濟方式；
3. 在法律規定的限度內，受理任何申訴或請願，或將它轉交任何其他主管當局；
4. 向主管當局提出建議，尤其是對法律、規章和行政慣例提出修正或改革意見，特別是如果它們已使為維護其權利提出請願的人遇到困難時。

英文版本全文

General Assembly
A/RES/48/134
85th plenary meeting
20 December 1993
48/134. National institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights

ANNEX

Principles relating to the status of national institutions

Competence and responsibilities

1. A national institution shall be vested with competence to promote and protect human rights.
2. A national institution shall be given as broad a mandate as possible, which shall be clearly set forth in a constitutional or legislative text, specifying its composition and its sphere of competence.
3. A national institution shall, inter alia, have the following responsibilities:(a) To submit to the Government, Parliament and any other competent body, on an advisory basis either at the request of the authorities concerned or through the exercise of its power to hear a matter without higher referral, opinions, recommendations, proposals and reports on any matters concerning the promotion and protection of human rights; the national institution may decide to publicize them; these opinions, recommendations, proposals and reports, as well as any prerogative of the national institution, shall relate to the following areas:(i) Any legislative or administrative provisions, as well as provisions relating to judicial organizations, intended to preserve and extend the protection of human rights; in that connection, the national institution shall examine the legislation and administrative provisions in force, as well as bills and proposals, and shall make such recommendations as it deems appropriate in order to ensure that these provisions conform to the fundamental principles of human rights; it shall, if necessary, recommend the adoption of new legislation, the amendment of legislation in force and the adoption or amendment of administrative measures;
   (ii) Any situation of violation of human rights which it decides to take up;
   (iii) The preparation of reports on the national situation with regard to human rights in general, and on more specific matters;
   (iv) Drawing the attention of the Government to situations in any part of the country where human rights are violated and making proposals to it for initiatives to put an end to such situations and, where necessary, expressing an opinion on the positions and reactions of the Government;(b) To promote and ensure the harmonization of national legislation regulations and practices with the international human rights instruments to which the State is a party, and their effective implementation;(c) To encourage ratification of the above-mentioned instruments or accession to those instruments, and to ensure their implementation;

   (d) To contribute to the reports which States are required to submit to United Nations bodies and committees, and to regional institutions, pursuant to their treaty obligations and, where necessary, to express an opinion on the subject, with due respect for their independence;

   (e) To cooperate with the United Nations and any other organization in the United Nations system, the regional institutions and the national institutions of other countries that are competent in the areas of the promotion and protection of human rights;

   (f) To assist in the formulation of programmes for the teaching of, and research into, human rights and to take part in their execution in schools, universities and professional circles;

   (g) To publicize human rights and efforts to combat all forms of discrimination, in particular racial discrimination, by increasing public awareness, especially through information and education and by making use of all press organs.

Composition and guarantees of independence and pluralism

1. The composition of the national institution and the appointment of its members, whether by means of an election or otherwise, shall be established in accordance with a procedure which affords all necessary guarantees to ensure the pluralist representation of the social forces (of civilian society) involved in the promotion and protection of human rights, particularly by powers which will enable effective cooperation to be established with, or through the presence of, representatives of:
   (a) Non-governmental organizations responsible for human rights and efforts to combat racial discrimination, trade unions, concerned social and professional organizations, for example, associations of lawyers, doctors, journalists and eminent scientists;
   (b) Trends in philosophical or religious thought;
   (c) Universities and qualified experts;
   (d) Parliament;
   (e) Government departments (if these are included, their representatives should participate in the deliberations only in an advisory capacity).
2. The national institution shall have an infrastructure which is suited to the smooth conduct of its activities, in particular adequate funding. The purpose of this funding should be to enable it to have its own staff and premises, in order to be independent of the Government and not be subject to financial control which might affect its independence.
3. In order to ensure a stable mandate for the members of the national institution, without which there can be no real independence, their appointment shall be effected by an official act which shall establish the specific duration of the mandate. This mandate may be renewable, provided that the pluralism of the institution’s membership is ensured.

Methods of operation

Within the framework of its operation, the national institution shall:

(a) Freely consider any questions falling within its competence, whether they are submitted by the Government or taken up by it without referral to a higher authority, on the proposal of its members or of any petitioner;

(b) Hear any person and obtain any information and any documents necessary for assessing situations falling within its competence;

(c) Address public opinion directly or through any press organ, particularly in order to publicize its opinions and recommendations;

(d) Meet on a regular basis and whenever necessary in the presence of all its members after they have been duly convened;

(e) Establish working groups from among its members as necessary, and set up local or regional sections to assist it in discharging its functions;

(f) Maintain consultation with the other bodies, whether jurisdictional or otherwise, responsible for the promotion and protection of human rights (in particular ombudsmen, mediators and similar institutions);

(g) In view of the fundamental role played by the non-governmental organizations in expanding the work of the national institutions, develop relations with the non-governmental organizations devoted to promoting and protecting human rights, to economic and social development, to combating racism, to protecting particularly vulnerable groups (especially children, migrant workers, refugees, physically and mentally disabled persons) or to specialized areas.

Additional principles concerning the status of commissions with quasi-jurisdictional competence

A national institution may be authorized to hear and consider complaints and petitions concerning individual situations. Cases may be brought before it by individuals, their representatives, third parties, non-governmental organizations, associations of trade unions or any other representative organizations. In such circumstances, and without prejudice to the principles stated above concerning the other powers of the commissions, the functions entrusted to them may be based on the following principles:

(a) Seeking an amicable settlement through conciliation or, within the limits prescribed by the law, through binding decisions or, where necessary, on the basis of confidentiality;

(b) Informing the party who filed the petition of his rights, in particular the remedies available to him, and promoting his access to them;

(c) Hearing any complaints or petitions or transmitting them to any other competent authority within the limits prescribed by the law;

(d) Making recommendations to the competent authorities, especially by proposing amendments or reforms of the laws, regulations and administrative practices, especially if they have created the difficulties encountered by the persons filing the petitions in order to assert their rights.