Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe | Commissioner for Human RightsSAINMHÍNIÚ The Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights was established in 1999 as an independent institution within the Council of Europe. In accordance with his mandate, and without excluding the possibility of complementary actions, the Commissioner focuses his activity on four main areas. These are the promotion of the education in and awareness of human rights, the encouragement for the establishment of national human rights structures where they do not exist and facilitate their activities where they do exist, the identification of short-comings in the law and practice with regards to human rights and, lastly, the promotion of their effective respect and full enjoyment in all the member States of the Council of Europe. TAGAIRT Council of Europe website, http://www.coe.int/T/E/Commissioner_H.R/Communication_Unit/ , 03.02.06
NÓTA Alvaro Gil-Robles was elected the first Commissioner for Human Rights in 1999 (information entered 03.02.06)