NHRI Leadership: an introductory guide of the SEO and other senior staff in the staff leadership team. They manage the institution in accordance with the strategic and operational plans and the policies approved by the top leaders. 6. Other statutory roles and responsibilities NHRI leaders also have specific roles set out in the institution’s founding law. Sometimes these roles relate to specific areas of human rights, for example, equality and non-discrimination, or to the human rights of specific population groups, for example, children or women. On other occasions, the specific roles are management related, such as reporting on activities, financial control and audit. Most of the specific statutory responsibilities are imposed on the top leadership – the chief commissioner and other commissioners or the ombudsperson. However, the law might also set out specific responsibilities of the SEO. All NHRI leaders need to be aware of their statutory responsibilities and ensure that they meet those responsibilities. Each NHRI should provide a list of each leader’s statutory responsibilities to enable clarity and accountability for compliance. Questions for leaders • What does your NHRI’s founding law say about the roles and responsibilities of NHRI leaders? • What are your own statutory roles and responsibilities under the law? • How does your NHRI exercise its responsibilities for governance? If it is a commissionmodel institution, does the commission as a whole make all or some governance decisions? If so, which ones? • When was your NHRI’s current strategic plan adopted? What was the process by which it was developed and approved? When will the planning process for the next strategic plan begin? • Do you individually have specific responsibilities for policy making? In what areas of human rights? • How do you understand your own management responsibilities within the NHRI? • What do you understand by ‘gender mainstreaming’? Does your NHRI have a gender mainstreaming policy? Who is responsible for leading gender mainstreaming within your NHRI? How can you promote gender mainstreaming within your NHRI? 18