CHRI seeks to promote awareness of and adherence to the Commonwealth Harare Principles, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other internationally recognised human rights instruments, as well as domestic instruments supporting human rights in Commonwealth member states. One such important international instrument is Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT) and Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT). It may be noted that more than 20 out of 53 members states are not party to the Convention Against Torture, including almost all of the Caribbean and Pacific Island states. The OPCAT provides for an independent international body to visit and investigate places of detention in the ratifying country. So far only five countries have ratified the OPCAT while four countries have signed but not ratified it. While the Commonwealth continues to encourage states to ratify core human rights treaties, however most Commonwealth nations have failed to endorse this key instrument. This assumes significance as 13 Commonwealth countries (Bangladesh, Canada, Cameroon, Ghana, India, Malaysia, Mauritius, Nigeria, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, UK and Zambia) are members on the newly formed UN Human Rights Council that replaced the UN Commission on Human Rights and have each made specific pledges for the advancement of human rights.

The Table below lists Commonwealth countries that have neither signed nor ratified and those that have Signed or have Ratified the CAT and OPCAT.