Monitoring the Human Rights Implementation by International NGOs

International human rights NGOs undertake a wide range of activities to monitor the implementation of human rights in all parts of the world. These organizations, inter alia, gather information of human rights violations, protect victims of abuses and also pave the way for cooperation or in some cases encounter with those States or non-state entities which have violated their international commitments and obligations. International NGOs, by shaping the public opinion and provide technical support for human rights education programs, work to promote and protect the international norms of human rights. NGOs, have almost succeeded to stabilize their place in international judicial and criminal system and in many occasions accompany the victims as amicus curiae or even in certain cases they participate in the hearings as the complainant. Furthermore, in recent years, they have had an important role in initiating the formulation of drafts of most of the human rights treaties and have encouraged the States to ratify these international instruments. This article has a descriptive and analytical approach and aims to present an overall overview of the recent developments.