Part II Protecting and promoting the rights of women and girls: NHRIs in action Because the inquiry process is public, it can also help to introduce, expose and explain a complex human rights issue to the broader community and build understanding and support for the findings and recommendations made by the NHRI. The NHRI can develop recommendations that are wide-ranging and addressed to the Government, private sector bodies, the judiciary, NGOs, trade unions, professional associations, academic institutions and other civil society bodies. They can also be directed to individuals who are in a position to influence or effect positive human rights changes within the community. SPECIALIZATION AND INTEGRATION: TWO VALUABLE OPTIONS A public inquiry does not need to be about women and girls or violations of their human rights in order to make an important contribution towards promoting the rights of women and girls. Of course, NHRIs may decide to conduct an inquiry into an issue of specific concern to women. However, they must ensure that a gender perspective is fully integrated into any inquiry it is undertaken. For example, an inquiry into homelessness could consider how homelessness impacts differently on women and men, as well as girls and boys, and then seek to identify ways in which the particular vulnerabilities and needs of women and girls can best be addressed. An inquiry into access to health care could establish how discriminatory laws, attitudes and practices affect women’s and girls’ access to health care. It may also consider health care issues from the perspective of rights that are of particular relevance to women, such as reproductive rights. Detailed information on establishing and undertaking public inquiries is available in the Manual on Conducting a National Inquiry into Systemic Patterns of Human Rights Violation,102 jointly published by the APF and the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law in 2012. The following information summarizes a number of the key themes and issues presented in the manual. 6.2. DECIDING WHETHER TO HOLD A PUBLIC INQUIRY Every NHRI has a responsibility to engage with serious human rights violations that occur within the country, to identify the factors contributing to those violations and to develop practical and effective solutions. If it fails to do so, the credibility of the NHRI and public confidence in the institution can be undermined.103 A public inquiry can be a powerful tool to draw attention to systemic patterns of discrimination or violations and generate positive change. It can also be a particularly useful approach if the NHRI is unable to adequately address a particular human rights issue through its monitoring, advisory or complaints processes. For example, certain violations affecting women may be too sensitive to attract many complaints under the NHRI’s regular complaint handling procedure. Alternatively, some issues or violations may affect very large numbers of women and are therefore more suited to a broadly focused inquiry. As noted above, violations that are systemic in nature or rooted in discriminatory practices and attitudes may not be adequately addressed at the individual level. 102 Available at www.asiapacificforum.net/support/professional-resources/. 103 Amnesty International, National Human Rights Institutions: Amnesty International’s Recommendations for Effective Protection and Promotion of Human Rights, 2001, pp. 11-12. Chapter 6: Conducting inquiries into systemic violations of women’s and girls’ human rights | 67