Part II Protecting and promoting the rights of women and girls: NHRIs in action Chapter 5: Responding to complaints of violations of women’s and girls’ human rights KEY QUESTIONS • What steps can NHRIs take to make sure that women and girls are aware of and able to access their complaint handling procedures? • What steps can NHRIs take to integrate a gender perspective into their procedures for the investigation and resolution of complaints? • What special considerations are there in relation to interviewing women and girl victims of human rights violations? • What good practice examples can NHRIs draw on for inspiration and guidance? BASIS FOR NHRI INVOLVEMENT PARIS PRINCIPLES Competence and responsibilities 3. A national institution shall, inter alia, have the following responsibilities: (a) To submit to the Government, Parliament and any other competent body, on an advisory basis either at the request of the authorities concerned or through the exercise of its power to hear a matter without higher referral, opinions, recommendations, proposals and reports on any matters concerning the promotion and protection of human rights; the national institution may decide to publicize them; these opinions, recommendations, proposals and reports, as well as any prerogative of the national institution, shall relate to the following areas: (iii) The preparation of reports on the national situation with regard to human rights in general, and on more specific matters; (iv) Drawing the attention of the Government to situations in any part of the country where human rights are violated and making proposals to it for initiatives to put an end to such situations and, where necessary, expressing an opinion on the positions and reactions of the Government. Additional principles concerning the status of commissions with quasi-jurisdictional competence A national institution may be authorized to hear and consider complaints and petitions concerning individual situations. Cases may be brought before it by individuals, their representatives, third parties, non-governmental organizations, associations of trade unions or any other representative organizations. In such circumstances, and without prejudice to the principles stated above concerning the other powers of the commissions, the functions entrusted to them may be based on the following principles: Chapter 5: Responding to complaints of violations of women’s and girls human rights | 51