CHRI’s work centers on human rights education and advocacy in Commonwealth nations. It particularly focuses on improving people’s access to justice and information, through research, capacity building, and litigation when necessary. CHRI relocated its headquarters from London to India in 1993 in order to establish its presence in South Asia. In 2001, CHRI set up an office in Ghana to expand its work in Africa

1. MODEL - NON PROFIT
ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW
CHRI’s work centers on human rights education and advocacy in Commonwealth nations. It particularly focuses on
improving people’s access to justice and information, through research, capacity building, and litigation when necessary.
CHRI relocated its headquarters from London to India in 1993 in order to establish its presence in South Asia. In 2001, CHRI
set up an office in Ghana to expand its work in Africa .
THE PROBLEM
A citizen’s access to justice and information is crucial
for a robust democracy. But states fail to ensure this,
which prevents public participation in good
governance, perpetuates poverty and threatens the
rule of law.
Building capacity of police forces so that they are more responsive
and accountable to the public. CHRI does this by engaging with
state governments and the police, and educating the public.
It monitors performance and compliance with law and provides
information at all levels of government to the media and the public
through over 92 publications and reports. On the ground, it focuses
on building knowledge amongst police constables through a
monthly broadsheet called Lok Police.
Reducing undertrial population and improving prison oversight:
CHRI represents suspects at early stages of a trial, partners with legal
aid authorities and law schools to run legal awareness camps in jail,
and documents jail review and external oversight mechanisms.
Right to Information: CHRI provides technical assistance to develop
and implement RTI, creates coalitions, monitors the working of
information commissions; and undertakes strategic litigation to resist
negative developments in RTI. It has trained over 7,000 key
development professionals and public officials on implementing RTI.
Strategic Initiatives: CHRI ensures that Commonwealth countries
adhere to core principles in the charter. It reports on human rights
concerns and reviews the performance of states.
Founded with a
mandate to ensure
the realization of
human rights in
Commonwealth
nations
Moved headquarters
to India; identified
specific intervention
areas: police and
prison reforms, Right
to Information (RTI)
and human rights
advocacy
Contributed to best
practice principles
that informed the RTI
movement
Provided legal
support for five
years to Gujarat riot
victims, leading to
seven out of 10
conviction cases
CHRI’s RESPONSE
CHRI creates demand for systemic changes that will
improve citizens’ access to justice and promote
people’s “right to information”. It ensures
participation by citizens, thus creating accountability
and transparency in governance and upholding the
rule of law.
Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI)
Founded: 1987 | Head Office: New Delhi | Coverage: Pan-India, South Asia and Africa
Full-Time Staff: 40 | Budget (2013-14): Organization – INR 4.5 crore; Governance – INR 4.5 crore
HOW DID IT EVOLVE?
1987 1993 2003-2004 2003-2009
Successfully pressed
for state-wide public
consultations before
the Kerala Police Act
was passed
2009-2011
Has established itself as
a premier resource
center that builds
capacity on RTI and
police reforms through
learning programs in
South Asia and Africa
2008-2014
Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI)
WHAT DOES IT DO?
Police and Prison Reforms: In India, CHRI works towards:
www.humanrightsinitiative.org
KEY INTERVENTIONS
1. Building awareness and mobilizing citizens
2. Training citizens for public engagement
3. Creating knowledge and evidence
4. Advocacy for policy design and
implementation
5. Technology platforms and solutions
6. Facilitating independent and inclusive
journalism
7. Capacity building of government officials
8. Capacity building of local partners
9. Facilitating platforms for multi-stakeholder
engagement

2. WHAT’S NEXT?
In the next few years, CHRI will concentrate on:
Police Reforms: (1) Building a critical mass of informed citizens that demands better policing, through media and citizen
activism, (2) Improving police response to the public; in particular to women, especially in cities; (3) Promoting systemic
reforms for effective citizen-centric policing and more police accountability.
Prison Reforms: (1) Reducing the detention period of undertrial prisoners through reforms in court practices, specifically
in Rajasthan and West Bengal; (2) Reviving prison oversight mechanisms in the country.
RTI: (1) Using RTI to make police functioning more transparent to the public; (2) Building capacity of civil society in other
countries to adopt and implement RTI.
“The merest glance around the Commonwealth found much wanting: two-thirds of the Commonwealth lived on under $2 a day.
We believe the presence of so much poverty is not an inevitable condition but a clear sign of bad governance. Too many
governments ignore their people’s wants and needs, keep them uninformed, excluded and distant from justice. CHRI makes
strategic interventions to bring about systemic changes that will improve human rights and governance in the Commonwealth”
- Maja Daruwala, director
citizenvoice policy law servicedelivery thinktank transparency RTI
elections budgets urbangovernance panchayatiraj accesstojustice
technology humanrights independentmedia
Its [Right to Information’s] effect on the
popular consciousness has been electric. So
deeply embedded and popular has the law
become in India that any attempt to amend
it or roll it back have been defeated by a
fierce public defence of the law. CHRI has
been at the forefront of ensuring the law’s
defence as well as its dissemination far and
wide. It has taken its advocacy into South
Asia, Africa and the Pacific.
- Wajahat Habibullah,
Chief Information Commissioner, India
Contributed to the crafting of the six directives issued by the Supreme Court in 2006, to strengthen police reforms, most
significantly to the setting up of the Police Complaints Authority to examine police misconduct.
Initiated the appointment of non-official visitors to check prison operational standards in India, and revived the prison
review committee that ensures the release of prisoners after completion of their term of imprisonment.
Contributed to key features of RTI : (1) The inclusion of a multi-member information commission equipped to handle RTI
complaints and (2) The imposition of penalties for non-compliance on the RTI Act.
Premier resource agency - organizes learning programs in India for practitioners from South Asian countries.
12 A 80 G FCRA
WHAT HAS IT ACHIEVED?
VOICES FROM THE GROUND
Practised as a lawyer, including at the Supreme Court.
Currently on the Board of Civicus, Open Society Justice
Initiative, and Oxfam GB, among other organizations.
Key funders: Open Society Foundation, Ford Foundation,
European Union.
Partnerships in India: National Law University Delhi, Praja,
Centre for Budget and Policy Studies (CBPS).
Global Collaborations: Transparency International
(Maldives), Human Rights Network (Uganda).
Conveners of South Asia Right to Information Advocates
Network (SARTIAN) and Network for Improved Policing
in South Asia (NIPSA).
Accredited with special consultative status at the
Economic and Social Council of the United Nations
In 2010, Maja Daruwala was awarded the Nani A.
Palkhiwala Award for Civil Liberties
QUALITY INDICATORS
Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI)
Leadership
Maja Daruwala, Director, CHRI
Partnerships
Endorsements