National Human Rights Institutions; Birgitte Olsen from the Danish Institute of Human Rights gives a lecture

21.6.2008

The Icelandic Human Rights Centre held a meeting 3. June 2008 in Hringborðssalur, Þjóðmenningarhúsi, Hverfisgötu.

Birgitte Kofod Olsen is an expert in human rights. After obtaining a BA and a PhD at the Faculty of Law, University of Copenhagen, she joined the Danish Center for Human Rights in Copenhagen, where she was first a junior and then a senior researcher from 1994 to 2002. She is currently the Director of the National Department of the Danish Institute for Human Rights, and an external senior lecturer at the Faculty of Law, University of Copenhagen.

She participates in numerous networks, such the European group of National Human Rights Institutions, the EU Network of Independent Experts on Fundamental Rights, the International Coordination Committee for National Human Rights Institutions, and the European Migration Dialogue, Brussels.

The Danish Institute for Human Rights (DIHR) is a national human rights institution in accordance with the UN Paris Principles. The DIHR was originally established as the Danish Centre for Human Rights by a parliamentary decision on 5 May 1987. As at 1 January 2003 the DIHR changed its status.

Birgitte spoke of the changes that the institution has undergone in recent year. The work of DIHR includes research, analysis, information, education, documentation, and complaints handling, as well as a large number of national and international programmes. DIHR takes a multidisciplinary approach to human rights, and operates with a staff of around 80 employees who specialise primarily in the areas of law, political science, economics, and social studies. DIHR is one of the largest national human rights institutions in Denmark and is highly respected internationally.

The meeting went very well, discussions were lively and interesting.

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