42 INTEGRATING REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS INTO THE WORK OF NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS INSTITUTIONS OF THE ASIA PACIFIC REGION All institutions consulted were of the view that that they would benefit greatly from external support of one form or another. Some institutions had very general expectations of such support while others were much more specific about what was required. Support to improve technical capacity As noted at various points in this report, there was widespread agreement that the lack of knowledge and technical capacity in the area of reproductive rights is hampering the effective integration of those rights into the work of NHRIs. The overwhelming majority of NHRIs expressed a wish to receive external support aimed at improving their technical capacity. Relevant points raised during the follow-up discussions include the following: l l l l l Most NHRIs see value in regional or sub-regional training that would involve multiple institutions, for example those linked by common language, political systems or culture, or which face similar challenges in integrating reproductive rights. In addition to supporting the sharing of experiences and insights (see below), it was felt that such training could help to promote common strategies and approaches that would contribute to an overall strengthening of reproductive rights across NHRIs. Regional training sessions may also enable a less constrained discussion of issues and areas that are particularly sensitive or controversial within the NHRI’s constituency. One NHRI noted however that regional training runs a serious risk of impact dilution. For example, if only one or two representatives from each NHRI participate in a particular activity, it is not always possible to guarantee that those persons who are best able to influence institutional change are selected. From this perspective, regional training was seen much more as a “first step” that would provide a foundation for subsequent, more targeted training initiatives at the national level. Some NHRIs expressed a strong preference for national-level training from the outset, noting the country-specific nature of many challenges and risks related to reproductive rights. In this regard, several NHRIs pointed out that the greatest impact could be achieved by ensuring that those involved in policy-making and service delivery are trained alongside NHRI officials. This approach can also help to foster the important national relationships referred to further below. Several NHRIs warned of the need to ensure that any national-level training in reproductive rights is carefully tailored to national conditions and realities. It was noted that APF-supported training was often conducted in English, a severe constraint in some countries to ensuring that those who are most able to benefit from such training can actually participate effectively, or indeed at all. Several NHRIs identified very specific needs in relation to capacity building. One institution, for example, seeks guidance on developing survey instruments to measure the extent of reproductive rights knowledge and implementation. Another institution wishes to receive technical training on analysis of reproductive laws and policies.