The National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) hosted an event to celebrate the Commission’s strengthened role and its human-rights achievements from 2021 to 2025. The event titled “Impact through Courage: Four Years of Serving Pakistan” brought together partners, communities, and supporters to highlight the Commission’s years of service and the transformative progress made between 2021 and 2025, as NCHR strengthened its role as Pakistan’s independent human-rights institution. Speaker National Assembly Ayaz Sadiq was the chief guest on the occasion.
Over the past four years, NCHR rebuilt organisational capacity, reinforced governance systems, and aligned its work with the Paris Principles, earning renewed credibility and recognition at national and international levels. During this period, the Commission focused on the core pillars of its mandate: protection and redressal, legal and policy reform, human-rights promotion, and strategic partnerships. Strengthened complaint mechanisms, on-ground monitoring, and field investigations enabled more systematic identification of rights violations across detention, labour, minority protection, migration, gender equality, and child rights. These interventions supported evidence-based recommendations that contributed to administrative, policy, and judicial actions at both federal and provincial levels.
At the same time, NCHR advanced its advisory role through contributions to legislative drafting, bill reviews, and national and provincial policy processes. In addition to that, the Commission’s research outputs informed reform dialogues, highlighted systemic gaps, and guided institutional decision-making. The event honoured this journey, from interventions on torture, bonded labour, discrimination, gender-based violence, and minority rights to advocacy on digital freedoms and equitable justice.
“This evening is a celebration of the courage, collaboration, and commitment that have kept human rights at the centre of our national agenda,” said Chairperson NCHR Rabiya Javeri Agha. “We honour not only institutional achievements but the voices and struggles of people across Pakistan who inspire this work.” She said that partnerships remained central to the progress of the Commission, as NCHR collaborated with civil society, academia, provincial departments, justice-sector stakeholders, and international organisations to strengthen cooperation and enhance technical capacity. “These four years have shown us that when an institution stands firmly on principle and courage, meaningful change becomes possible. We rebuilt systems, strengthened oversight, and centred the experiences of people whose rights are too often overlooked. Today is not just a celebration of institutional progress, but of every survivor, every community, and every partner who trusted us with their stories. Their resilience has shaped the Commission’s journey,” said Rabiya Javeri Agha.
Speaker National Assembly of Pakistan, Ayaz Sadiq congratulated NCHR for its achievements and said that Parliament values the role of the Commission. “Your reports, inquiries, and recommendations help us identify gaps in legislation, look more closely at implementation, and ask whether our laws are serving the purpose for which they were written. Oversight is not adversarial. It is a shared effort to improve how the state functions,” he added.
Speaker National Assembly said that the Parliament remains committed to protecting the independence of constitutional bodies. “The country needs institutions that speak plainly, act firmly, and uphold the law without fear or favour. This is essential for stability. It is essential for justice. And it is essential for the trust of our citizens,” he said.
In his key note address, Philipp Oliver Gross, Deputy Head of Mission for Delegation of European Union to Pakistan said that “The EU is proud to support the NCHR and Pakistan’s broader human rights commitments, including under GSP+. The Commission’s progress over these years shows how strong oversight institutions can help safeguard fundamental rights and give a voice to those who are often unheard.”
Speaking on this occasion, Samuel Rizk, Resident Representative UNDP, said that “The NCHR stands today as one of Pakistan’s most credible and respected public institutions. It has shown that human rights work is not just an office to hold or a job to do, it is a conscientious commitment. UNDP is proud to have walked this path with the Commission, and we remain committed to supporting its continuity so it can keep advancing human rights protections across the country.”