The Senate of the Republic establishes the Special Commission for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights

Also for the XVII legislature, the Senate of the Republic has unanimously approved the establishment of the Special Commission for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights (motion 16 April 2013, no. 7), naming as its Chair Senator Luigi Manconi.

The Commission, constituted of 25 members because of the consistency of the membership parlamentary groups, has tasks of study, observation and initiative on the subject of the protection and promotion of internationally recognised human rights; for this purpose, the Commission can: make contact with institutions of other countries and with international bodies; carry out missions in Italy and abroad, and in particular at foreign Parliaments also, where necessary, with the purpose of either establishing agreements for the promotion of human rights or supporting other forms of collaboration; carry out informative procedures and provide proposals and reports to the Senate; formulate opinions on bills and affairs referred to other Commissions.

The Special Commission for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights was established for the first time during the XIV legislature (motion 20 approved on August 2nd 2001; Chair: Enrico Pianetta) after the long and matured experience of the Commitee against the death penalty (1996-2001). Since the Commission is not a permanent body, it is necessary that it is instituted, with a formal act, at the beginning of each legislature. In the past, this happened both in the course of the XV legislature (motion 20 approved on February 7th 2007; temporary Chair: Giulio Andreotti) and in the XVI legislature (motion approved on July 30th 2008; Chair: Pietro Marcenaro)