Capacity Assessment Manual for National Human Rights Institutions Contents Abbreviations 2 Acknowledgements 3 Chapter 1: Introduction 5 Chapter 2: The capacity assessment approach for national human rights institutions 9 2.1. This manual 9 2.2. What a capacity assessment is not 9 Chapter 3: Chapter 4: Chapter 5: 2.3. What a capacity assessment is 10 2.4. The independent external review of the capacity assessment process 11 2.5. The Global Principles for the Capacity Assessment of National Human Rights Institutions 15 2.6. The APF Gender Policy 16 The recommended steps in conducting a capacity assessment for a national human rights institution 19 3.1. Preliminary – engaging with the national human rights institution 20 3.2. The preparatory visit 21 3.3. Between the preparatory visit and the assessment visit 23 3.4. The assessment visit 25 3.5. After the assessment visit 39 From capacity challenges to strategies and actions 43 4.1. Strengthening independence and legitimacy 44 4.2. Strengthening the NHRI’s institutional arrangements (internal policies, processes and plans) 45 4.3. Strengthening leadership and management functions 46 4.4. Strengthening human resource management 46 4.5. Strengthening knowledge and knowledge management 47 4.6. Strengthening partnerships and external relations 48 Conclusion – the benefits of capacity assessments to national human rights institutions 51 5.1. The benefits of capacity assessments 51 5.2. Capacity assessment reviews 52 5.3. Further capacity assessments 53 1