Annual Report 2013–2014 Human rights investigations training During the reporting period the APF launched a new blended learning course to provide human rights investigators with a comprehensive overview of the skills needed to conduct thorough and impartial investigations. The training draws heavily on the principles and methodology outlined in the APF’s publication Undertaking Effective Investigations: A Guide for National Human Rights Institutions. The five-week online course ran from 24 March – 25 April 2014. It examined: • fundamental investigative principles • how to plan an investigation • how to conduct interviews (run over two weeks), and • collecting and using digital and documentary evidence. Course participants drawn from all APF member institutions undertook set readings, completed weekly quizzes, contributed to online discussions and submitted assignments related to the key themes. Participants from the NHRIs of Australia, Bangladesh, India, Korea, Nepal, Malaysia, the Maldives, Mongolia, Palestine, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Timor-Leste who successfully completed the online course then took part in a week-long, face-to-face workshop hosted by the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) from 19-23 May 2014. The program included a range of practical exercises that focused on planning an investigation; interviewing techniques for different groups of witnesses; collecting and assessing digital and documentary evidence; and preparing reports of investigations. Participants also discussed the steps involved in undertaking investigations into multiple complaints on the same issue. The blended learning course was led by Gareth Jones, a former Director of Major Investigations at the Canadian Military Ombudsman’s Office. He was assisted by APF accredited trainer, Abdul Rahman Abdullah, from SUHAKAM. APF accredited trainers Human rights education is critical to building a human rights culture within a country and an essential part of the work of NHRIs. Across the Asia Pacific, NHRIs develop programs that engage and empower children, young people, adults and communities to identify and address the human rights issues facing them. Many NHRIs also design and deliver training programs to support public officials – such as law enforcement agencies, the judiciary, parliamentarians, the military and others – to understand and meet their obligation to respect, protect and fulfil the human rights of those within their jurisdiction. Human rights education training resource. The APF has established a blended learning training course to support and equip human right trainers in APF member institutions to carry out this important work. It was developed following a comprehensive training needs assessment of APF members in 2010, which noted the need for a larger number of highly skilled human rights trainers in the Asia Pacific region. The training-of-trainers course provides knowledge and skills on the planning, design, delivery and evaluation of human rights training programs. It combines a four-week online training component with a regional face-to-face workshop, encouraging participants to share strategies for conducting effective human rights training. Participants who run, evaluate and report back on a human rights training session that they deliver within three months of returning to their respective NHRIs can apply to be APF accredited trainers. These trainers are provided with opportunities to assist in the delivery of future APF training programs. 1. Enhance members’ institutional capacity | 13