CHAPTER 5 - REPORT OF THE INTERNATIONAL ISSUES AND COOPERATION COMMITTEE • Guidelines on how recommendations of a NHRI should be acted on by the State, in ensuring the exercise of freedom of peaceful assembly. The Commission participated in several key sessions at HRC18 and delivered oral and written statements on the rights of IPs and on the Universal Periodic Review, in its capacity as an ‘A’ status NHRI. On the sidelines, the Commission’s delegation held meetings with key stakeholders involving the OHCHR, the UN Committee on the Rights of PWDs, and Malaysia’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva. The delegation participated in an expert meeting on ‘Child Rights and the Business Sector’, organised by the Committee on the Rights of the Child. The Commission’s participation at HRC18 was beneficial in strengthening its engagement with international human rights mechanisms. It further enabled the Commission to share good practices with various stakeholders in the cause of advancing human rights. 3. COMMONWEALTH FORUM OF NHRIs (CFNHRI) Established in 2007, the CFNHRI is a body of NHRIs and other mechanisms with a human rights mandate in Commonwealth Member-States. Its objective is to promote networking and the sharing of information, experience and good practices. It does not seek to duplicate the activities of the ICC, OHCHR or other regional mechanisms, but aims to complement and support such mechanisms. As a member of CFNHRI, the Commission participated in the 3rd Biennial Meeting held in Bracknell, United Kingdom, in May. Member-institutions deliberated on issues concerning human rights and climate change, business and human rights, the role of the NHRI as the national monitoring mechanism for Convention on the Rights of PWDs and rights of the sexual minorities. Following the Biennial Meeting, the CFNHRI submitted a Communiqué to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), highlighting the need to prioritise human rights in their discussions and to recognise the close link between human rights and peace, security and development. In addition, the CFNHRI submitted feedback on the Commonwealth Eminent Persons Group’s (EPG) proposal paper on the Commonwealth’s championing values. Among the main recommendations was that a ‘Charter of the Commonwealth’ be developed to recognise the importance of respect for human rights as a core value, and that a Commissioner for Democracy, the Rule of Law and Human Rights be appointed. The CHOGM, held from 28-30 October in Perth, Australia, agreed to develop the Charter of Commonwealth. It also requested the Secretary-General and the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group to evaluate relevant options relating to the EPG’s proposal for a Commissioner for Democracy, the Rule of Law and Human Rights. 93