The role and recognition of international non-governmental organizations in human rights protection

The protection of human rights has gained a supranational identity through international, regional, and national protection mechanisms today. International bodies, specialized organizations, regional bodies, states, and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are the most important actors of human rights protection mechanisms. The participation of NGOs in international law is considered important but unofficial. The legal nature of the participation has not been subjected to academic research. The role of NGOs in international human rights protection is a unique and engaging issue in the context of constitutional law. Because dealing with the role of NGOs in the protection of human rights within the normative approach of constitutional law, which puts the state at the centre in the protection of human rights, has the potential to bring new fields of study to the constitutional law studies. This study deals with the legal nature of international NGOs, their status in international and regional protection mechanisms, international normative regulations regarding these statuses, and their functions in human rights protection. Moreover, the theoretical background of the subject will be embodied through concrete events, reports, and court decisions. It is anticipated that the outputs of the study will provide academic knowledge transfer to our country regarding the importance of international NGOs, their working principles, and their role in the protection of human rights. In addition, it is expected to raise awareness of Turkish civil society on international activities while it provides a reference source for NGOs that want to operate in the international arena.