C. Resources Adequate resourcing is essential to the successful fulfilment of commissions’/missions’ mandates and goals. Budgets for commissions/missions are often prepared before these are set up on the basis of the mandating resolution. This is the case, for example, for bodies established by the Human Rights Council, the Security Council and the General Assembly, which also have to approve their budgets. Resource requirements need to be assessed based on both the mandate and the operational context. A similar mandate may result in different costs depending, for example, on the security situation in the country that is the object of the inquiry, the location of victims, witnesses and other sources of information relevant to the commission’s/mission’s mandate and whether they are in multiple countries, and the logistical aspects such as transport requirements. The number of members and the methodological aspects – for example, the use of public hearings – also affect the cost. There is, accordingly, no template approach to budgets. However, the experience developed by the United Nations points to a number of good practices and standard resource requirements that need to be taken into account in preparing realistic budgets commensurate with the tasks required of commissions/missions. A certain level of scenario planning is required. Budgets should be based on the most likely sequence of events to implement the mandate and provide flexibility to overcome any operational obstacles that might present themselves. It may often be necessary to plan for alternative scenarios, depending on political and/or security considerations, in addition to the mandate’s requirements. Budgets and resource allocation have wide-reaching implications for the conduct of the commission/mission. Resources should be comprehensively assessed and provided based on the best possible projection of activities to be undertaken in the light of the information available at the time of budget preparation. They should not unduly constrain the performance of the commission’s/mission’s work, which should be based on best practice methodologies. The following needs to be considered when preparing budgets: (i) Members In most cases members are appointed as pro bono experts and receive travel allowances when on mission but no salaries. In a few cases, however, they have been hired on United Nations contracts and received partial or full salaries for the duration of their assignments. 28 COMMISSIONS OF INQUIRY AND FACT-FINDING MISSIONS ON INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS AND HUMANITARIAN LAW