A/HRC/38/25 Composition and working methods 4. A parliamentary human rights committee shall be comprised of members of Parliament with human rights expertise, having due regard to the principle of pluralism, non-partisanship, respect for all human rights, and gender-balance; 5. A parliamentary human rights committee shall develop and publish terms of reference to define, inter alia, its working methods, the frequency of its meetings, its quorum, a procedure for agenda setting, means of communication, involvement in other fora such as the national mechanisms for reporting and follow-up, secretariat services, and modalities of consultations with stakeholders such as the national human rights institution, civil society or individuals; 6. A parliamentary human rights committee shall be transparent in its operations, including decision making. It shall publicise its work and hold hearings in public, except where there is a clear, stated and justifiable reason not to do so; 7. A parliamentary human rights committee shall be provided with sufficient financial and human resources by the Parliament to enable it to carry out its functions effectively; 8. A parliamentary human rights committee shall have access to external independent human rights advice, as required, including from the national human rights institution, legal professionals with expertise in human rights, academic experts, representatives of civil society organizations, international or regional organizations, or other relevant professionals with expertise in the area; 9. A parliamentary human rights committee should conduct its work in such a way as to provide opportunities for meaningful civil society participation. 16