Figure 6: Benefits to your NHRI when using a HRCLD approach Your NHRI will broaden its reach and strengthen its outcomes and impacts, by developing human defenders and advocates. Your NHRI will be able to shape its strategies through information gained from communities about priority issues. Your NHRI’s efforts are more likely to be long-term and sustainable. You will increase your leverage and authenticity by having access to information and advice gained from real life experiences. Communities will become their own human rights defenders and advocates, leaving your NHRI with increased capacity for other work. Communities will provide communication channels for human rights information and matters. Partnerships and community contribution to human rights efforts provide long-term advantages in terms of cost, timeliness, flexibility, and insider knowledge and proximity. 1.6 What are the benefits for communities engaging in a HRCLD activity? By definition a HRCLD approach is community centric – it puts the community and its members at the centre. The principles on which it is based (Figure 3) are such that if there were no benefit for the community it would not be human rights community-led development. So how can the facilitation of a HRCLD approach benefit a community? A community will decide whether there is value in engaging with an NHRI. This may well be judged by the quality of the relationships developed, the authenticity of intent and the NHRI’s preparedness to listen to the community and prioritise its voices. APF HRCLD Guide 25