ASIA PACIFIC FORUM OF NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS INSTITUTIONS Providing advice and expertise VALUE TO MEMBERS OF PROVIDING ADVICE AND EXPERTISE very high high 1 1 7 13 Source: APF Member Survey 2015 medium low very low no response In a region that does not have a comprehensive intergovernmental system to monitor, promote and protect human rights, the role and contribution of NHRIs is vital. A fundamental goal of the APF is to support the establishment of independent NHRIs in Asia Pacific region and to strengthen those that do exist. To do this, we provide advice to governments and civil society groups on the unique status of NHRIs; their roles and functions; their relationship with government, parliament and civil society; and the international accreditation process. This may include legal advice on compliance with the international standards for NHRIs set out in the Paris Principles and technical advice on operational issues, such as organisational structure, operational procedures and financial resources. Members highly value the APF’s provision of advice on legislation, accreditation, policy and practice. Those who rated the value of this APF function lower did not receive direct advice from the APF during the reporting period. 1. Membership and accreditation The National Centre for Human Rights of Kazakhstan was admitted as an associate member at the APF’s 19th Annual Meeting in September 2014, bringing the APF’s membership to 22. The APF now has 15 full members and seven associate members. To be admitted as a full member, a national human rights institution must fully comply with the minimum international standards set out in the Paris Principles. 8 Institutions that partially comply with the Paris Principles are granted associate membership. To ensure consistency and to minimise duplication, we use the accreditation decisions of the ICC to determine APF membership status. Full membership of the APF is equivalent to the ICC accreditation of “A status” and associate membership of the APF is equivalent to the ICC accreditation of “B status”. 2. Advisory services In 2014–15, the APF responded to 40 requests from NHRIs, governments, UN agencies, international organisations, civil society organisations and other stakeholders. These requests covered a broad range of issues, including: • Legislation to establish or re-establish NHRIs • Legislative amendments to strengthen existing NHRIs • International accreditation of NHRIs • Improvements to the international NHRI accreditation process • Comparative analysis of legislative good practice • Policy and practice development. In our efforts to promote the establishment or strengthening of NHRIs, it is critical to ensure that that our advice, while promoting international standards, is drafted with an appreciation of the constitutional, political, social and cultural context in which the proposed or existing NHRI operates.