22 HANDBOOK FOR NHRIs ON WOMEN’S RIGHTS AND GENDER EQUALITY For NHRIs with a broad mandate, in states where there are other national specialized institutions (i.e., specialized bodies addressing discrimination, gender or women’s rights issues): ? How can interactions and exchanges between the two institutions be improved and formalized, for example through memoranda of understanding or protocols about handling intersectional complaints (i.e., complaints that involve two or more human rights grounds and might affect the mandates of several institutions)? ? How are complaints, investigations or inquiries handled when they include gender dimensions but also engage other human rights areas? ? How can the NHRI integrate a gender aspect into its own programmes and policies, independently of the existence of specialized institutions? For NHRIs with mandate to address private-sector discrimination: ? Does the NHRI collect data on discrimination in the private sector and undertake promotion strategies to address complaints about women’s rights and gender equality (for example, by supporting the private sector to develop internal complaints procedures or dispute-resolution processes)? ? Does the NHRI lobby the government to adopt policies and laws that prohibit gender discrimination and promote equality in the private sector? For NHRIs with no mandate to address private-sector discrimination: ? What strategies can be developed to encourage the government to adopt policies and laws that will apply to the private sector and the private sphere? ? How can the NHRI mandate be enhanced so that it can deal with issues arising from the private sector? For example, several states have explicitly expanded the NHRI mandate so that it can accept complaints specifically in the field of discrimination.