Preventing Torture An Operational Guide for National Human Rights Institutions - Updated Edition • Format and timing: The format of the report is important in terms of increasing publicity and impact. Associated resources, such as a summary report, should be considered early in the process. The timing of the report’s release should build upon the interest and momentum created by the inquiry. Gender considerations should be included in the media outreach plan. Follow-up The NHRI should conduct follow-up to promote implementation of its recommendations. It should establish a dialogue with the relevant authorities to discuss steps to implement the report’s recommendations. It should seek to build sustained commitment from civil society and pressure towards institutions to whom recommendations are directed. The NHRI should also closely monitor and report on any developments related to the inquiry, for example in an annual report. Monitoring and evaluation Monitoring and evaluation are essential components of any public inquiry and should be planned for from the start. They allow the NHRI to make adjustments along the way and draw lessons learnt to increase the effectiveness of future inquiries. They also contribute to the accountability of the NHRI as an institution. Insights from practice: In 2014, the Australian Human Rights Commission, launched an 8-month inquiry131 into children in closed immigration detention. The purpose of the Inquiry was to investigate the ways in which life in immigration detention affects the health, well-being and development of children. The Commission visited 11 detention centres, interviewed 1129 children and parents in detention. It held 5 public hearings with witnesses, received 239 submissions from schools, medical service providers and NGOs. The Commission also held focus groups with young adults who, as children, were detained. A range of different child psychiatrists, paediatricians, and health professionals also assisted the Commission throughout the Inquiry. 148 130 See for example, “Checklist to integrate gender in human rights reports/documents Checklist to integrate gender in human rights reports/documents” in OHCHR, Manual on Human Rights Monitoring (revised 2011), Chapter 15: Integrating Gender into Human Rights Monitoring, p. 16. 131 See: https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/asylum-seekers-and-refugees/national-inquiry-children-immigration-detention-2014