What are NHRIs? NHRIs are independent bodies established by governments to protect and promote human rights within their respective countries. They serve as a bridge between the government and civil society, advocating for the protection of human rights, investigating human rights violations, and promoting awareness and education. Unlike other parts of the world, there is no regional protection system in the Asia Pacific that people can turn to when their rights are violated. This makes the role of NHRIs in our region even more critical. Strong, credible and effective NHRIs help bridge the ‘protection gap’ between the rights of individuals and the responsibilities of the State by: • Monitoring the human rights situation in the country and making their findings available to the public. • Providing advice to government so that laws and policies reflect national and international human rights standards. • Receiving, investigating and resolving complaints so that victims of human rights violations can seek redress. • Delivering human rights education programs that help change attitudes and behaviour. • Engaging with the international human rights community to raise pressing issues and advocate for recommendations that make a difference back home. APF Annual Report 2023-24 5