KEY POINTS: CHAPTER 4 • The background or scoping paper forms the basis for the NHRI’s decisionmaking on whether to proceed with the proposed inquiry, identifying what is proposed to be done in the national inquiry, including how it will be done and what it will cost, before the NHRI decides to approve the project. • The background paper should: – provide an overview of the situation to be addressed – outline the international human rights law that is relevant to the situation – outline the domestic or local law that is relevant to the situation – list the particular matters requiring investigation during the course of the inquiry – indicate some options for the results of the inquiry – describe how the inquiry will meet its human rights education objectives – set out the timetable for the conduct of the inquiry – state the resource requirements – summarise briefly the views of NGOs and other relevant stakeholders concerning the inquiry. Chapter 4: Prepare a background (scoping) paper | 21