The Human Rights Centre (HRC) founded in 2012 is an independent and autonomous authority that operates administratively as part of the Office of the Parliamentary Ombudsman. The Human Rights Centre, its Human Rights Delegation and the Parliamentary Ombudsman together form the National Human Rights Institution (NHRI).

The HRC’s statutory task is to monitor and promote the implementation of fundamental and human rights in Finland and to participate in international and European cooperation on human rights. It promotes cooperation and information flow concerning fundamental and human rights at national and international level.

In addition, the HRC keeps up to date on what recommendations and decisions Finland receives from international bodies monitoring compliance with human rights conventions and how they are being implemented.

The HRC carries out its tasks by providing information, training, preparing reports, initiatives and opinions, supporting research and participating in international cooperation. Together with the Parliamentary Ombudsman, the HRC has a special statutory duty to monitor, promote and protect the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The HRC does not handle complaints or other individual cases.

The HRC staff carries out versatile expert tasks that require extensive competence in fundamental and human rights. The HRC also does communication and advocacy work to promote fundamental and human rights nationally and internationally.

The staff members of the HRC have many kinds of educational backgrounds. Most commonly, they have degrees in law, social sciences and the humanities. The HRC’s experts focus on monitoring and promoting various fundamental and human rights themes in accordance with their own special competence and the needs and priorities defined at any given time.

The HRC has a Young Experts Programme, which was launched in 2022 for people in the early stages of their career.