Capacity Assessment Manual for National Human Rights Institutions • • • • • • • • • • • • Bangladesh National Human Rights Commission 2013 Ombudsman’s Office of Samoa 2014 National Human Rights Commission of Oman 2014 National Commission on Human Rights of Indonesia (Komnas HAM) 2014 Provedoria for Human Rights and Justice of Timor Leste 2015 National Institution for Human Rights of Bahrain 2017 Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) 2017 National Human Rights Commission of Pakistan 2018 Uzbekistan Ombudsman for Human Rights 2018 Philippines Commission on Human Rights 2018 National Human Rights Commission of Myanmar 2018 National Human Rights Commission of India 2018. Each of these CAs incorporated the lessons learned from the previous CAs, resulting in a much more comprehensive, systematic, yet flexible CA methodology for NHRIs. The methodology was also refined through an independent external review of the CA process undertaken in 2012. All CAs of NHRIs in the Asia Pacific region to date have been undertaken under the CAP. It has proved to be a very useful and effective collaboration of real benefit to NHRIs. AUSTRALIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION (AHRC), MAY 2012 The AHRC was the first NHRI in a developed country to undertake a CA. The CA process was developed by UNDP as part of its development mandate, to assist its capacity building with institutions in developing countries. It was not consciously seen as applicable or useful to institutions in developed countries, although there was no reason why it should not be. Certainly, NHRIs and the APF saw the process as equally useful to NHRIs wherever they might be located. The AHRC did too and requested support in undertaking a CA. The CA was undertaken by the APF with participation from OHCHR and, on an exceptional basis, UNDP. UNDP’s mandate does not extend to developed countries but its participation in this CA was funded by the APF (on a one-off basis) in view of the expertise UNDP could bring to the process. By contrast, neither UNDP nor OHCHR was involved in the CA of the New Zealand Human Rights Commission in August 2012. The CA methodology for NHRIs offers a very useful approach to strengthening NHRIs and increasing their effectiveness in the promotion and protection of human rights. It provides NHRIs with a process of self-assessment assisted by external expert facilitators. It incorporates both qualitative and quantitative elements in assessing current capacities, forecasting future capacity requirements, identifying capacity gaps and, most importantly, developing strategies and actions to close those gaps in the most significant areas. It also provides a firm basis for international cooperation to assist NHRIs when they undertake institutional strengthening. Since the first revision of the CA manual in 2014 two significant developments have affected the procedures for the conduct of CAs. The first is the Tripartite Partnership’s adoption of Global Principles for the Capacity Assessment of National Human Rig hts Institutions in 2016. The second is the APF’s adoption of its Gender Policy in 2015. This manual discusses what CA is and its relevance for NHRIs, the benefits that they can gain from it, and what is involved in doing it. It also provides an easy step-by-step guide for the conduct of a CA for an NHRI. Chapter 1: Introduction | 7