ABSTRACT
Devising strategies for strengthening the democratic framework within Commonwealth jurisdictions in the context of the Harare Commonwealth Declaration, 1991, and Millbrook Commonwealth Action Programme on the Harare Declaration, 1995, is multi-faceted. Whilst the relationship between the executive, legislature and judiciary inevitably takes centre stage, human rights commissions and offices of the ombudsman (hereinafter referred to collectively as ‘national institutions’) can also provide significant support for the democratic process. This paper argues that, in this respect, their relationship with parliament is an important one in that, on the one hand, parliament can support and strengthen the operation of national institutions whilst on the other, national institutions can assist parliamentarians through providing objective advice and information relating to proposed legislation and the promotion and protection of human rights.
