II. INDICATORS In order to determine whether they are achieving the benchmarks they have set themselves and to evaluate aspects of their performance and impact, NHRIs should develop indicators. As noted, indicators are used to track trends and identify changes in ­direction; they measure dynamic processes. Indicators should be ­ distinguished from data. Data are units of factual information considered to illuminate ­ particular trends and processes. Judgements and choices lie at the heart of the use of indicators, and for this reason they need both to be selected carefully and evaluated critically. It is particularly important to understand that an indicator only has significance in a context, in relation to an objective or purpose. 1. Types of indicators A. Quantitative indicators Quantitative indicators measure things that can be counted. In relation to human rights, examples of quantitative indicators would be the ratio of health care professionals to the population, the literacy rate or the number of reported deaths in custody. In relation to organisational output, indicators might include the number of reports issued, personnel trained or complaints handled. Quantitative indicators are attractive because, in principle, they are ­comparable and verifiable. In practice, they are not so straightforward. Numbers that look simple and comparable often are not, but because quantitative data are ­composed of numbers, they often appear to provide objective information. Quantitative indicators have two main potential drawbacks: ▪ They may be used simply because they are measurable, without ­considering in depth whether they impart useful and relevant information about the issue in question. ▪ Complex social, political and legal processes can only be understood ­adequately through qualitative analysis. At best, quantitative measures provide snapshots of how things are at particular moments; at worst, they mislead because they fail to reflect dynamic processes of change. B. Qualitative indicators Qualitative indicators are employed precisely because of the weaknesses of quantitative ones. They attempt to assess the character of events and ��processes, as well as their changing nature, rather than count them. Asking a target group’s opinion in a survey is a simple use of qualitative ­indicators. Complainants might be asked to assess the response given to their complaint; officials might be asked what skills they acquired during a human Assessing the Effectiveness of National Human Rights Institutions 25