authorities, their role at remedying human rights violations, in the dissemination of information and education in human rights." The World Conference on Human Rights also encouraged: "the establishment and strengthening of national institutions..." and recognized " .... that it is the right of each State to choose the framework which is best suited to its particular needs at the national level..." At this Conference a formal status was granted to the International Committee for Coordination of National Institutions as a statutory liaison instrument of the United Nations system. This Committee shall organize a biennial world meeting of national institutions. At the International level, the United Nations Human Rights Commission approved by its Resolution 1992/54 of the 3rd of March 1992 under the heading "Principles Relating to the Status of National Institutions", also known as the Paris Principles, rules which define the mandate of such institutions. The General Assembly of the United Nations endorsed these principles in its Resolution 48/144 of 20th of December 1993. The objective of these principles is to guarantee the independence of national institutions in their work and pluralism in their composition. The central mission of the national institutions is to play an advisory role to the government, parliament and other relevant bodies and authorities involved in giving opinion and making recommendations on all issues related to the promotion and protection of human rights. In Africa, the trend to establish national institutions has continued to develop especially after 1991. At present Africa has more than twenty (20) national human rights institutions which are represented in the International Coordination Committee by Cameroon, Morocco, South Africa and Togo. At the first conference of national human rights institutions in Africa held in Yaounde, Cameroon, from 5th to 7th February 1996 participants adopted the Yaounde Declaration which commended "...the creation of new National Institutions in Africa..." and expressed the hope that these institutions will be given ".... a proper representative status on the African Commission." At the 2nd Conference of African National Institutions held in Durban, 1st – 3rd July 1998, the need for a clear relationship and a unique status in the African Commission were reiterated. Since the Mauritius session, the issue of African national human rights institutions has aiways been included on the agenda of meetings of the Commission. A paper on this subject was presented by Commissioner K. Rezag-Bara at the 21st Ordinary Session of the Commission held in Nouakehott, Mauritania in April 1997. The Commission decided at its 22nd Session held in Banjul in November 1997 to entrust Commissioners K. Rezag-Bara and N. Barney Pityana with the task of preparing a draft resolution on the advisory status of national institutions in the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights. The matter was deferred for finalization at this session. Therefore, The African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, meeting at its 24th Ordinary Session from 22nd to 31st October 1998, in Banjul, The Gambia, 2