Issues for specific NPM types

For NPMs that are part of ombuds institutions or national human rights commissions it is likely that a number of specific questions will need to be addressed in their internal rules, including:

• Who speaks on behalf of the NPM? For example, the ombudsperson or chair of the human rights commission, or the NPM chairperson?
• How are decisions made?
• What is the role of commissioners, the ombudsman or deputies in relation to visits and follow-up?
• Who approves NPM reports and recommendations?
• How should complaints (and information about them) relating to detention be handled?
• How does the NPM department share information and cooperate with other departments, including that on protection and investigation, and vice versa?
• Does the NPM publish a separate annual report or a chapter within the annual report of the institution as a whole?

For multiple body NPMs, it will additionally be important to consider issues such as:

• Coordination regarding ethics and working methods.
• The role of each institution and that of the coordinating body, if any
• Coordination, such as: when and how meetings will be held, coherence of NPM work, participation in visits, publication of joint reports, and joint advocacy on law and policy reforms.