Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions The Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines, has a mandate to take on gender-based complaints under the Magna Carta of Women. The Commission has extended this mandate to include cases based on sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression and has developed investigation protocols for handling LGBTI cases. These are based on the Yogyakarta Principles and state “respect for sexual rights, sexual orientation and gender identity are integral to the realisation of equality between men and women”. Source: Speech by Commissioner Karen Gomez Dumpit to the APF/UNDP Conference on the Yogyakarta Principles, April 2017, Bangkok. POSSIBLE ACTIONS 23. Train NHRI members and staff to be sensitive and responsive to the needs of victims of human rights violations on the basis of SOGISC and ensure that these victims have access to members and staff who have undergone this training. 24. Identify an NHRI complaint handling officer who will be a liaison point for LGBTI complainants and who will be responsible for reaching out to the diverse LGB, T and I communities through their organisations and through community and legal centres and other NGOs connected with the LGB, T and I communities. 25. Provide an accessible and safe space for LGBTI people in all NHRI offices, where their rights are protected and promoted and their SO, GI and SC are respected.42 26. Provide information, in accessible and understandable languages and formats, to LGBTI individuals and organisations to assist victims of human rights violations to lodge complaints with the NHRI. 27. Ensure that the processes for complaint handling, including forms to be completed, are respectful of the particular circumstances of LGBTI victims of human rights violations and are appropriate for them, including by permitting complainants to identify themselves as they wish. 28. Develop procedures to identify and act on its own initiative to investigate human rights violations based on SOGISC, through regular engagement with different LGB, T and I organisations and other civil society organisations. 29. Promote the appointment of a focal point on human rights issues in relation to SOGISC in each government ministry, department or agency that has a significant number of complaints of human rights violations based on SOGISC, as a means of encouraging speedy resolution of complaints and action to prevent future violations. 30. Maintain a database of complaints of human rights violations based on SOGISC, with the ability to disaggregate the data according to different criteria, to enable the analysis and reporting of the human rights situation of LGBTI people generally and according to status. 18