Promoting independence at the national level A vital role of the APF is to provide support to NHRIs so they can operate independently from government. In 2014–15, the APF provided advice and support for members – most notably in the Maldives, Australia and Thailand – who faced reprisals and threats to their independence for conducting work in accordance with their legal mandate. During the past year, a number of APF members reported having a challenging relationship with their government or experiencing budget cuts that have significantly limited the scope of their work. The APF was proud to co-sponsor the launch of the Pacific Free & Equal campaign, which is a joint initiative of UN agencies in the Pacific. Human rights activists, the NHRIs of Samoa and New Zealand, and UN officials from across the Pacific attended the launch in August 2015, along with government representatives from Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu and Fiji. 22 Other APF members reported that their relationships with their respective parliaments, executives and judiciary were mixed but generally good.