Who the Toolkit is for For some this will mean mainstreaming gender considerations in their work. For others it may also include specific gender-focused roles and activities. Gender focal point/s may be appointed, or gender responsibility may be allocated to a person or a team. However, it is the leaders of NHRIs – Ombudspersons, Chairpersons/Presidents, Commissioners, Senior Executive Officers and Senior Managers – who are the strategic drivers of the NHRI and therefore primarily responsible for initiating and supervising the development of the NHRI’s Gender Strategy. This Toolkit therefore aims at the senior leadership of an NHRI, along with any staff who may be delegated operational responsibility for the development of the NHRI’s Gender Strategy. The development and implementation of a gender strategy involves everyone in the NHRI. What the Toolkit does The Toolkit supports NHRIs: Examples throughout the Toolkit relate to: • Develop a practical gender strategy • Complaints handling • Identify realistic priorities • Investigations • Improve internal systems and accountability • Detention monitoring • Strengthen gender mainstreaming • Connect gender work to everyday NHRI functions. • Legal and policy review • Education and awareness-raising • Workplace culture • Leadership and governance This Toolkit does NOT: • Propose a single model for all NHRIs. • Assume all NHRIs have the same resources or mandate. (Smaller or under-resourced NHRIs in particular should adapt the suggestions in the Toolkit to their context.) • Replace existing NHRI strategic plans. The Toolkit recognises that NHRIs work in various political, cultural and institutional contexts, and that strategising their gender response will reflect this. It also recognises that some NHRIs are just beginning this work. Others already have advanced systems and strategies. Gender Strategy Toolkit 2026 11