foreword National human rights institutions (NHRIs) are now, beyond a doubt, valued as essential partners in the task of protecting and promoting human rights at the national and regional levels. This is reflected, not least, in the resolution adopted in 2005 by the Commission for Human Rights, inviting NHRIs to participate in all agenda items of the Commission (resolution 2005/74). There is indeed a significant increase in the demands made on NHRIs by all stakeholders to act as key actors in the protection and promotion of human rights. In his report In Larger Freedom the United Nations Secretary-General positioned human rights as one of the three pillars of his UN reform programme. In response to the Secretary-General’s call in this report, my own office began a reform process to increase the attention given to the implementation of the international human rights instruments at the national and regional levels. These reforms will give even more relevance to genuine and independent NHRIs. But in order to preserve this increased international recognition and trust, NHRIs must continue to be credible, legitimate, relevant and effective. This can be achieved in part by ensuring that the Paris Principles guide the work of NHRIs. The report presented here is designed to assist NHRIs to measure their own effectiveness. It was prepared through a participatory process involving members of NHRIs and establishes measurement benchmarks and indicators for the compliance of national institutions with the Paris Principles. The report first presents a set of benchmarks as the minimum normative condition that is desirable for a national institution to achieve its objectives. It is followed by a set of indicators, both quantitative and qualitative, to demonstrate progress achieved by the NHRI. These indicators of performance and impact are intended for a NHRI to be able to assess the human rights situation, its own performance and the impact of the institution on the enjoyment of human rights. The publication of this report is very timely, now that NHRIs are globally recognized as critical partners in the protection and promotion of human rights. The benchmarks and indicators contained in this report are essential tools for NHRIs to plan and evaluate their work. NHRIs can adapt them and use them in their own context, while preserving public accountability, with the ultimate objective of enhancing national protection systems. I hope that they will be put to positive use in an effort to ensure that NHRIs meet their obligations, and indeed expectations, effectively. Louise Arbour United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Assessing the Effectiveness of National Human Rights Institutions