8.2.2 Strategic Planning

Demands on a new NHRI will almost certainly be greater than the resources at hand. New institutions must therefore identify specific priority activities in order to accomplish relevant results. Strategic planning is the key vehicle for achieving this.

National human rights institutions of all descriptions face a common problem: there are massive (and unrealistic) expectations facing them and limited resources, both human and material, with which to meet these expectations. This – over and above many other good reasons – is why planning is so vital for such institutions.5

Strategic planning allows NHRIs to:

• ask and answer basic questions about the status of rights in the country;
• take charge of their own action plans;
• direct energy and resources towards important, achievable programme initiatives;
• provide a mechanism through which progress can be measured;
• use planning to communicate and coordinate with other stakeholders in a transparent, mutually respectful and beneficial manner;
• link internal planning to what is happening externally, including MDGs, indicators and data about progress on important rights-related development issues;
• assist donors to see planning as an indication of organizational maturity (donors often set planning as a condition for supporting the NHRI); and
• create benchmarks for capacity assessment, programme and performance evaluation.

Strategic plans are not ends in themselves. They are "road maps" that are only useful if they lead to a concrete plan of action that is monitored regularly, and adjusted to achieve objectives.

Many NHRIs request assistance in carrying out strategic planning, in part because they are new and in part because it is unlikely that there will be enough internal capacity when the NHRI is just be established.

Strategic planning should begin as early as possible in the establishment phase, and be carried out in consultation with stakeholders.

You should consider:

• engaging an expert practitioner to guide the institution;
• supporting consultations with key stakeholders; and
• UNCT staff participating in the exercise to build UNCT capacity to serve the NHRI in the longer term.

Annex 1: Sample terms of reference for strategic planning expert

Duration: A good strategic planning process for NHRIs requires time: when consultations are included, the process can take about three months. Shorter periods are possible, but may compromise time for consultations, scenario building or action planning.

Internal Consultation: It is advisable to check in with other UNCT members, before starting. Are there other development-related initiatives that might be linked to strategic planning for the NHRI? Strategic planning training might serve as a platform for other UNCT colleagues to present aspects of their work that are relevant to NHRIs on topics like:

• Budget development support;
• Decentralisation initiatives; and
• Integrating thematic areas of focus, including HIV/AIDs, gender equality and women's issues.

To ensure integration with country programming, please see Chapter 6.

Consult with other intergovernmental and donor agencies who may be considering a similar programme: The worst possible outcome is to forget to check in with other organisations such as the EU or bilateral cooperation bodies, only to discover four separate strategic planning initiatives all underway at the same time - and that the NHRI has agreed to all four! This is not a far-fetched scenario - it has happened. If the project does becomes a cooperative one, where several organizations contribute to a joint project, ensure that the overall objectives of the organisations are shared and consistent. A MOU or relevant agreement is advisable.

Expertise: Depending on the country's level of development, nationals or other experts in the regional can train staff and senior officials. Staff should consult the NIRM Section of the OHCHR or the UNDP for available resources. The person selected should have experience in the region, and demonstrated practical expertise in handling strategic plans and coaching NHRIs specifically.

If local or regional resources are unavailable, an international expert may be required to oversee the process.

Ensure that there is a public consultation process: This is critical for buy-in, cooperation and as a promotional aspect of the NHRI's work. As well, broad-based consultation enhances the likelihood of identifying the most pressing issues.

Experts in planning and institutional performance evaluation have different approaches to strategic planning, depending on their disciplinary training and personal approach. Different donors may also have specific requirements, or use different terms: but there are nonetheless basic outcomes that should result from a good strategic planning process. These include:

• Clear articulation of the vision, mission and values of the NHRI;
• A few high-level strategic priorities;
• Outcomes;
• Key indicators, including baseline data on indicators;
• Targets; and
• A schedule or program of evaluation for the strategic plan.

Outcomes, indicators and targets are usually set out in broad terms in the strategic plan itself, but details about activities and their costing should be contained in a workable action plan that aligns resources with objectives in a way that is effective and coordinated. These activities, if supported by the UNCT, should be linked to the Project Activity Framework of the UN Project Document (See Chapter 6).

Annex 2: Steps in Strategic Planning

5 Carver and Korotaev, "Assessing The Effectiveness of National Human Rights Institutions" 2007. Study Commissioned by the UNDP Regional Centre in Bratislava.