Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions During 2011–12, the APF either completed or initiated capacity assessments with an additional four NHRIs: • the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (30 June – 18 July 2011) • the National Human Rights Commission of Mongolia (1–13 August 2011) • the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (16–20 January 2012 and 27 February – 9 March 2012), and • the Australian Human Rights Commission (30 April – 11 May 2012). At 30 June 2012 the NHRIs of Jordan, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, the Palestinian Territories and Sri Lanka had reported complete or partial implementation of the action plans resulting from their capacity needs assessment. During this reporting period the Australian Human Rights Commission had not yet commenced implementation and no response was received from Afghanistan or Thailand. Figure 1 shows the collective progress in implementing the action plans. Incomplete implementation can largely be attributed to early progress by the Sri Lankan NHRI, which only completed the needs assessment earlier this year, and to Jordan’s NHRI, where implementation of most elements of the action plan is still underway. Figure 1: Implementation of UNDP-APF-OCHR capacity needs assessment action plans as at 30 June 2012 Engage with stakeholders Advocate and raise human rights awareness Formulate policies and strategies Assess a situation and define vision and mandate Manage human rights cases Conduct human rights analysis Monitor, evaluate and report % Fully implemented Partially implemented 0 20 40 60 80 100 Most members participating in the capacity needs assessment program to date agree or strongly agree that the recommendations arising from the capacity needs assessment have improved their capacity in all areas. The exception is the Palestinian NHRI, which did not agree that the recommendations improved their capacity to monitor, evaluate and report, to manage human rights cases and to conduct human rights analysis. However, they strongly agreed that the capacity needs assessment has improved their capacity to assess situations, to define their vision and mandate and to formulate policies and strategies. Figure 2 shows the extent to which the capacity needs assessments have improved capacity by NHRI, as measured by the mean of each participating countries’ views on the degree to which the capacity needs assessment has been effective. A review of the design, methodology, delivery, implementation and impact of the APF-UNDP-OHCHR capacity assessment program will be undertaken by the UNDP, APF and OHCHR in the 2012–2013 financial year. 8 | 1. Enhance members’ institutional capacity to promote and protect human rights