Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions The OEWG was established by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2010 to examine the gaps in the current international human rights protection system and identify how best to address them. It has met four times, most recently in August 2013. The work of the OEWG was further bolstered in December 2012 when the General Assembly requested it to consider proposals for an international legal instrument to promote and protect the rights and dignity of older persons. The workshop participants agreed to form an APF working group and appoint an APF spokesperson to progress the outcomes of the workshop and to present the region’s position to the OEWG and in other relevant meetings. Impacts and outcomes directly linked to the APF’s cooperation and engagement activities are set out below. Although engagement is difficult to quantify, members’ active participation in annual meetings provides some indication. At the 18th Annual Meeting in 2013, all members contributed oral interventions or written submissions. The high level of member’s participation in the annual meeting reflects the success of the meeting processes. A survey of members’ views on the quality of events organised by, or in partnership with, the APF indicated ongoing very high satisfaction (an average across the median rating for all events of 4.5 out of 5, slightly up from the previous year). The highest-rated events, in terms of networking (all rating a median response of 5 out of 5), were: • APF Biennial Conference, held in Doha, Qatar in October 2013 • Regional Workshop on the Rights of Older Persons, held in Sydney, Australia in May 2014, and • SEO Network meeting and the APF Forum Councillor Working Group on Strategic Plan, held in June 2014 in Sydney, Australia. This year the APF surveyed its members and stakeholders to establish their views on the format and continued relevance of the SEO Network and APF biennial conference and annual meetings. Over 90% of APF members said that the SEO Network, APF annual meetings and biennial conferences were highly important services. Members and stakeholders agree that the conferences provide an effective platform to: • develop relationships with other APF members and the secretariat • understand regional human rights issues • focus and discuss human rights themes, and • engage with human rights NGOs, human rights experts, governments and UN agencies. Further, APF members and stakeholders agreed that the APF Annual General Meeting is an effective platform to: • decide upon APF strategy, policy and operations • monitor, review and approve APF operations and finances, and • develop relationships with other APF members. Figure 4 shows APF members’ views on the relevance of training and communications services; the value of APF participation in UN processes to members; and the utility of APF advice, provides further indication of their engagement. In 2013–14 a composite index of members’ views in these areas showed a rating of 4.5 out of 5 – a return to the levels in 2012. The separate data contributing to the high rating shown on the member engagement index is discussed in more detail in the relevant section of this report – training, communications, advice and advocacy. As part of its 2015–2020 strategic planning process the APF is reviewing international best practice to identify innovative ways of enhancing and refreshing engagement. 24