Questions to ask:

• is there an OHCHR stand-alone Field Office in the country?
• is there an OHCHR Regional/Sub-Regional Office?
• is there an UN/OHCHR Human Rights Advisor present?
• is there a human rights component attached to a UN peace mission?

For more information, please consult www.ohchr.org For UNDP: contact relevant advisers at the Democratic Governance Group/Bureau for Development Policy and the Regional Service Centres.

Contact points at OHCHR Geneva include:

• National Institutions and Regional Mechanisms Section (vstefanov@ohchr.org): regardless of other contacts, this Section should be contacted as a standard procedure. The Section stands ready to assist UNCTs with technical advice on the establishment or strengthening of NIs.
• Rule of Law and Democracy Section (mrishmawi@ohchr.org)
• Methodology, Education and Training Section (fmarotta@ohchr.org)
• Geographic Desks (Africa Section: scampbell@ohchr.org; Middle East and North Africa region Section: ffenniche@ohchr.org; Asia Pacific Unit: rmungoven@ohchr.org; Europe and Central Asia Section: dchalev@ohchr.org; Americas Section: mmartin@ohchr.org)

Organise in cooperation with OHCHR a sensitisation meeting involving all key stakeholders (Government officials, Members of Parliament, NGOs, research centres, experts from Paris Principles-complying NIs in the region), in order to:

• ‘seed’ the idea of NIs and gather national support;
• identify key elements of the Paris Principles;
• look at the successes that existing NIs in conformity with the Paris Principles have had

• obtain or develop material providing basic information about the nature and function of NIs, and perhaps some concrete examples of how they may assist in protecting and promoting human rights, to provide to local stakeholders

• encourage and support national ownership for creating an NI, for example by recommending to the Government that a process be set in motion involving an appropriate Ministry (one with a supportive Minister and senior staff) or a Parliamentary Committee to determine the details of what kind of NI should be created, as well as its roles and powers

• encourage the creation of one or more working groups that would consist of representatives of every important social sector and which would examine and recommend on the features of a new NI

• ensure that Parliament and other appropriate officials are aware of the statutory powers that an NI requires to undertake effective programming (see section III on the Paris Principles, as well as section V on the human rights functions)

• ensure that Parliament and other appropriate officials are aware of the main considerations when choosing a model of NI

• ensure that Parliament and other appropriate officials are aware that the enabling legislation should; (1) establish the separate legal identity of the NI; (2) define the scope of the NI’s responsibilities; (3) define the legal authorities that the NI can exercise in the implementation of its responsibilities; (4) where appropriate, set out the complaint process and the remedies available; (5) define the membership, membership criteria, membership selection and dismissal process, duration of term and privileges and immunities of members; (6) authorise the establishment of the NI and the right to employ staff; and (7) describe reporting procedures, preferably to Parliament

• provide sample legislation on NIs to parliamentarians or other appropriate officials

• organise seminars or workshops to discuss, with appropriate stakeholders, the statutory powers that an NI requires in order to undertake effective programming

• organise visits by expert practitioners to discuss with parliamentarians and other appropriate officials the need for appropriate legislative powers

• organise workshops on ‘best practices’ to promote appropriate organisational structures and relationships that allow for the effective delivery of programmes (see 1.2.8)