Statutes of The Norwegian Centre for Human Rights (NCHR)

§ 1 Purpose

The purpose of the Norwegian Centre for Human Rights (NCHR) is to contribute to the realisation of the internationally adopted human rights by means of scientific research and assessment, training, advice, information and documentation.

NCHR is multidisciplinary and shall promote the study of human rights as an academic discipline at the University of Oslo.

As Norway’s National Institution of Human Rights, NCHR shall monitor the human rights situation in Norway and, on an independent basis, cooperate with related research centres, non-governmental organisations and international and national bodies working in the field of human rights.

The foundation of NCHR’s work is the existing international system of norms and institutions for the protection of human rights.
  

§ 2 Organisation

The Norwegian Centre for Human Rights is organised as a multidisciplinary centre under the Faculty of Law at the University of Oslo. The Centre is funded by a basic grant from the University of Oslo in addition to funding from external sources.
 

§ 3 Internal organisation

The Centre has the following bodies:

• A Board
• A Chair of the Board
• A Deputy Chair of the Board
• A Director
• Special Committees, including an Advisory Committee to the Centre in its role as a National Human Rights Institution
   

§ 4 Powers of the Board

The Board is the highest body of the Norwegian Centre of Human Rights. It is responsible for scientific research, academic development and training within adopted rules and guidelines.

The Board functions as a recommending body in relation to appointments to the Centre with the exception of appointments to professorates and research fellowships in law.

The Board has a duty when planning the affairs of the Centre to take active measures to ensure a viable distribution of tasks and resources in relation to prevailing conditions.

The Board may delegate powers to the Centre’s individual bodies unless prohibited from so doing by law, regulations or statutes.

§ 5 Composition of the Board

The Board shall consist of a minimum of five (5) and a maximum of ten (10) members. Each member shall have a personal deputy.

The Board is nominated by the Faculty of Law. Nominations shall be made by ultimo November in the year prior to the Board taking office.

Membership of the Board shall be made up as follows:
 

• a) Three representatives of academic staff in permanent tenure at the University of Oslo (one from the Faculty of Law; one from the Faculty of Social Sciences; and one from the Faculty of Arts; but in such a way that one member from the other faculties may be nominated given a corresponding reduction in the number of representatives from the Faculty of Social Sciences and the Faculty of Arts). Each representative shall have a personal deputy. Representatives must possess expertise on human rights either through their scientific work or other work, or have demonstrated concern for human rights issues in other respects.
• b) One representative of academic staff in permanent tenure at the Centre. The representative shall have a personal deputy.
• c) One representative of academic staff at the Centre in fixed-term appointments. The representative shall have a personal deputy.
• d) One representative of technical and administrative staff at the Centre. The representative shall have a personal deputy.
• e) Two representatives of the student body. Each representative shall have a personal deputy.
• f) Two representatives from civil society outside the University of Oslo. Each representative shall have a personal deputy.

§ 6 Nomination to the Board and term of office

Board members shall be nominated by the following parties:

• Academic staff in permanent tenure at the University of Oslo shall be nominated by their respective faculties.
• Staff employed the Centre shall be nominated by the Centre’s electoral assembly.
• Representatives from the community at large shall be nominated by the Centre’s National Human Rights Institution Advisory Committee. .
• Students shall be nominated by the Student Parliament on the recommendation of students attached to the Centre, students following study programmes organised by the Centre, and/or students who otherwise are directly affected by the Centre’s activities.

Representatives of categories a), b), d) and f) shall hold office for a period of three years. Representatives of categories c) and e) shall hold office for a period of one year. If a Board member steps down before the termination of his/her term of office, a new member shall by nominated by the department/party represented by the outgoing member. The term of office of the new member shall correspond to the remainder of the term of office of the outgoing member. If less than a year remains of the term of office, the outgoing member may be replaced by his/her deputy.

All members of the Board may stand for re-election.

§ 7 The Chair of the Board

The Board shall have a Chair and a Deputy Chair. The representative of the Faculty of Law shall be the Chair of the Board. The Deputy Chair shall be elected from among the other members of the Board in academic posts at the University of Oslo.

§ 8 The Director

The Director shall administer the affairs of the Centre. The powers and responsibilities of the Director shall be determined by the Board.

The Director answers to the Board in all matters of an academic nature and is duty bound to comply with the regulations and guidelines applicable to senior administrative positions that are in force at any one time.

The Director is authorised to make decisions to the degree that such decisions cannot be deferred to a time at which the Board can convene. The Director can also be authorised to make decisions related to current business in compliance with regulations determined by the Board.

The Director represents the Centre on Faculty bodies in line with Faculty heads of department.

The Director’s term of office is four years and the incumbent shall be eligible for re-election for one additional term.
 

§ 9 Notice of meetings

The times and dates of meetings of the Board shall be determined for each academic term. The Director is authorised to call extraordinary meetings in exceptional circumstances or when the Rector, Dean of the Faculty of Law, the Chair of the Board or two Board members call for such a meeting of the Board.

Notice of the agenda, i.e., the list of items to be considered by the Board, shall be distributed at least one week prior to the date of the meeting. If a member is unable to attend, his or her personal deputy shall be summoned.

The Board otherwise establishes its own meeting procedures.

§ 10 The proceedings of the Board

The Chair of the Board shall lead the Board’s proceedings.

The Director attends Board meetings and may address the Board and submit proposals, but is not eligible to vote.

The meetings of the Board are open to the public, but the Board itself or the Board of Faculty may determine that meetings be held in camera or that specific business be considered in camera. Business relating to members of staff or covered by a duty of confidentiality shall always be considered in camera.

In exceptional circumstances the Board may invite third parties to attend proceedings. Such third parties may address the meeting but are not eligible to vote.

The proceedings of the Board shall be recorded in minutes. Such minutes shall note which Board members are in attendance. The minutes shall set out in respect of every item of business all motions tabled and passed and the number of votes cast. Except when written voting is required for elections or appointments, cf. § 22, second subsection, second paragraph, second sentence of the Act relating to Universities and Colleges, any member of the Board may require that records be made of the way each member of the Board has voted. Additional notices shall be submitted and read out loud during the meeting.

Members of the Board are obliged to attend meetings of the Board except in cases of lawful absence.

The Board may determine additional procedural rules.

In connection with the proceedings of the Board, confer rights of employees’ organisations pursuant to the Basic Collective Agreement for Civil Servants.

§ 11 Voting rules

The quorum of the Board shall consist of not fewer than six members.

Unless otherwise stated in law, regulations or statutes, all decisions shall be made by ordinary majority. In the event of parity of votes the Chair has the casting vote. The majority must nevertheless comprise at least four Board members.

Unless otherwise stated in law, regulations or statutes, all decisions shall be made by ordinary majority of the votes cast. In the event of parity of votes on non-electoral matters, the Chair has the casting vote. In the event of parity of votes on electoral matters, the issue shall be determined by random lot drawing.

Voting on issues other than elections and appointments shall proceed by a show of hands. Voting on issues concerning elections and appointments shall proceed by written vote if required by a Board member in attendance.

Board members have a duty to take part in proceedings and to cast votes. With the exception of decisions concerning elections, members may not cast a blank vote.

Decisions shall be passed by Board when in session.

§ 12 Special committees

The Board may appoint extraordinary committees for specific issue areas or specific issue categories. The Board may delegate decision-making powers to such extraordinary committees in specific matters or matters within the remit of the committee insofar as so doing is not prohibited by the Act relating to Universities and Colleges or beyond the scope of powers conferred on the Centre.

The Board determines the responsibilities and composition of the extraordinary committees. When appointing members to extraordinary committees, the Board shall give particular attention to their specific purpose.

Non-Board members may be elected to sit on extraordinary committees. Persons from the community at large, i.e. persons with no affiliation to Faculty and/or University, can be called on to sit on an extraordinary committee and hold the same rights and duties as the other members.

At least two members of all collegiate bodies with decision-making powers shall be students unless unanimously determined otherwise by the delegating body.

Within the scope of his/her authority the Director may appoint ad hoc committees for the consideration of particular issues.

The Faculty is subject to employer liability vis-à-vis employees at the Centre.

Special rules apply to the Centre’s Advisory Committee to the national institution of human rights.

§ 13 Administration

The Norwegian Centre for Human Rights shall have an administrative section. It shall serve as a secretariat for the Centre’s academic bodies and fulfil administrative and practical duties.

§ 14 National Human Rights Institution Advisory Committee

The Norwegian Centre for Human Rights shall have an Advisory Committee as a consultative body for the Centre in its duties and activities as a National Human Rights Institution. The Council shall submit its recommendations directly to the Director.

The Advisory Committee shall be composed of representatives from a wide range of organisations and bodies in civil society whose activities are of particular relevance to human rights issues in Norway:

• The Parliamentary Ombudsman for Public Administration
• The Ombudsman for Equality and Non-Discrimination
•  Amnesty International Norway
• The Norwegian Helsinki Committee
• The Norwegian Federation of Organisations of Disabled People
• Save the Children Norway
• The Sámediggi (the Parliamentary Assembly for the Sámi People in Norway)
• The Confederation of Norwegian Business and Industry
• The Norwegian Association of Editors
• The Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions
• The Human Rights Sub-Committee of the Norwegian Bar Association
• The Norwegian Association for Asylum Seekers

Each of the organisations listed above shall elect one representative and one deputy representative. Representatives shall possess special expertise or interest in human rights issues. Representatives shall be adequately authorized to ensure efficient representation of their organisations in the business of the Council.

The Advisory Committee shall be chaired by the Director of the Norwegian Centre for Human Rights, who acts as secretary to the Committee.

The Advisory Committee shall nominate two representatives to the Board of the Norwegian Centre for Human Rights. The Director does not have voting rights in Committee decisions on nominations.

All nominations to the Board shall be decided by simple majority. In the event of voting parity, the decision shall be taken by drawing lots.

The Advisory Committee shall convene at half-yearly intervals.

The Advisory Committee is authorized to compile supplementary guidelines for its work.

§ 15 Commencement

These revised statutes enter in force 14 February 2005.