8 HANDBOOK FOR NHRIs ON WOMEN’S RIGHTS AND GENDER EQUALITY Gender equality should be mainstreamed into all activities of the NHRI. Protection strategies should address the particular needs of women and girls in the national context. NHRIs should address protection needs through gathering gender-disaggregated data; training staff to work with victims of genderbased discrimination and violence against women, including sexual violence; and recommending remedies for victims, among other activities. It is essential that an effective referral system is in place that respects confidentiality and provides security for victims. The particular obstacles women may face in terms of accessing NHRIs may be addressed by a number of initiatives, such as flexible opening hours, confidential arrangements for reporting or targeted outreach, including to isolated communities or vulnerable groups, such as refugees, migrant workers and persons with disabilities. Promotional activities, including public education and awareness-raising, research and capacity building, are at the core of mandates for NHRIs. They should consider how messages on women’s rights and gender equality can be mainstreamed into all promotional activities and should also develop targeted campaigns relevant to their national context. It will often be useful to collaborate with civil society or government partners to reinforce messages and reach a wider audience. In addition to explaining rights, promotional activities should also promote awareness of redress mechanisms available to victims of gender-based discrimination and violence against women. NHRIs provide advice and assistance to governments in areas of legal drafting and reform, gender mainstreaming and policy development, and gender-responsive budgeting. Regular and constructive interaction with policymakers in these areas can have a  profound impact in ensuring that gender aspects are mainstreamed across all government departments. Participation in the development of national action plans and monitoring of the implementation of such plans can promote a comprehensive approach and identifying gaps between commitments and action taken. Civil society actors are key partners of NHRIs. They often have specialized knowledge, access to individuals the NHRI may not reach, and additional human or financial resources to support promotional activities. NHRIs surveyed reported that they engaged with civil society by exchanging information, referring complaints and collaborating on reports, trainings and joint advocacy. In addition, in certain contexts, NHRIs can play an important role in the protection of women human rights defenders, who may face gender-specific risks because of who they are and because of the type of rights they work on.