Independence of children’s rights ombudspersons

Independence is a defining feature of institutions ranging from central banks to children’s rights ombudspersons. Yet the label “independent” is often accepted at face value, even by those who lead these bodies. Critical questions persist: Is independence absolute, a simple yes or no, or a matter of degree? This article makes two contributions. First, it introduces a new measure of institutional independence, built on four conceptual components and 14 criteria. Second, it applies this measure to 39 independent children’s rights institutions (ICRIs). Findings show that even institutions with high overall independence scores may exhibit weaknesses in specific components, revealing “weak links” that challenge assumptions of independence. By offering a systematic measure, this study provides a tool for analyzing independence across diverse institutions and invites reconsideration of how independence is understood, assessed, and strengthened.