Key Messages

• There are few predictable activities that can be cited as common needs of NHRIs during the consolidation phase. Rather, the objectives are to take stock, take corrective action as required, and to enhance the institution's efforts to promote and protect human rights based on capacity assessments and programme evaluations.
• During the consolidation phase, the UNCT will be in a position to assess whether the NHRIs work is progressing properly and whether to recommend a change in direction.
• UNCT staff should support NHRIs in making decisions about how to manage projects and to optimize the chances of success and should avoid second-guessing the NHRIs' leadership or substituting UN opinion for that of the NHRI leadership.
• The notion of capacity assessment focuses on assessing the internal ability of the NHRI to do its work and, as a result, on the forward-looking opportunities for UNCT programming in areas where capacity is lacking.
• If the institution has not carried out this work, there is an indication that it does not understand and/or has not implemented a proper strategic planning process, and this should be a focus of renewed capacity development efforts.
• Much of the NHRIs reputation will rest on its capacity to manage its case load. That said, actually being able to identify problems and help improve matters is not an easy task.
• The ability to identify and addressing systemic issues is a key indicator as to whether an established institution has matured.
• There are a number of indicators to assess whether the NHRIs have adequate and appropriate premises in order to carry out programming commensurate with its level of operational maturity.
• The adequacy of key infrastructure and human resources are crucial to assessing the organisation's success. There are several basic indicators, listed in section 9.5.1, that can signal whether an institution's human resources system is thriving or whether it is faltering.
• A mature NHRI should have developed on-going and substantive relationships with the UN system, in particular OHCHR and UNDP, and with local NGOs as well as with regional and international associations of NIs.
• As the organization matures, its structure should be examined to ensure that it can begin to support thematic areas of focus and develop expertise in specific areas of work, including gender equality, children's rights, and IDPs, to name a few.
• The choice of structure that an NHRI will select for thematic areas of focus and specific areas of work will depend on a variety of factors: the importance of the issue in the country-context; resources; the availability of qualified individuals; the perceived need to have a high-placed individual (usually a Commissioner) charged with the responsibility; the management philosophy of the leadership, and so on.
• The work of focal points and specialized units can potentially be integrated with the work of other units in a NHRI and can be linked to regional initiatives, yet have direct national impact.