D. M onitoring a country ’s human rights situation 1. Defining the scope of the monitoring activity Human rights monitoring can encompass almost every area of human activity, from economic and social issues to incidents involving political and civil rights. See: ■■ Training Manual on Human Rights Monitoring; ■■ Economic, Social and Cultural Rights: Handbook for National Human Rights Institutions.63 No NHRI can monitor and report on every aspect of a country’s human rights situation every year. Most do not. They identify the rights that are of most concern in the country and concentrate on monitoring those either yearly or progressively. Alternatively, they may develop a multi-year schedule for monitoring rights so that all rights are examined, but only over a number of years. 2. Planning the monitoring activity Most institutions monitor progress over time. This requires the monitor to know what the situation was at a given point in time (the baseline) and what factors (indicators) will demonstrate that there have been positive changes. Sometimes, monitors will also set goals (benchmarks) for those involved in promoting and protecting the right. This approach may be used for all categories of rights, but is particularly useful in tracking achievements relating to economic, social and cultural rights. This is because many of these rights are meant to be realized progressively. Two types of indicators are typically used in monitoring progressive realization: process indicators and result indicators. Process indicators are the actions (legislative, regulatory, policy and practice) that have been taken to ensure that the right in question is being effectively implemented and adequately protected. Result indicators, on the other hand, show the extent to which a right is being enjoyed. That the Government has passed a law outlawing torture is a process indicator; that torture has decreased is a result indicator. Defining process indicators is relatively straightforward: ■■ The legislation, regulation, policy and practice that apply directly or indirectly to the right in question are identified; and ■■ The stated objective of that legislation, regulation, policy or practice is identified. Identifying result indicators is more complex. The United Nations treaty bodies have developed guidelines on the form and content of reporting and general comments, both of which specify data requirements for country reporting (see www.ohchr.org). These reference documents are quite comprehensive. Institutions may use them as a template from which to choose the most relevant and important indicators for their particular monitoring activity. An institution may have to define its own success indicators in some circumstances. If so, it is important that the indicator should be relevant, understandable and useable. A good indicator measures what it says it measures. United Nations publication, Sales No. E.04.XIV.8. 63 117