A/HRC/16/77 rigorousness, fairness and transparency. At its seventeenth session, held in April 2006, the International Coordinating Committee initiated a revision of the accreditation process of NHRIs. A discussion paper on the matter was developed by a working group, comprising the then members of the Subcommittee on Accreditation. Three areas were considered: (a) the composition of the Subcommittee on Accreditation and its role and responsibilities; (b) the accreditation process; and (c) the substance of criteria or minimum standards set for accreditation. The paper was submitted to the eighteenth and nineteenth sessions of the International Coordinating Committee. A decision paper was developed, which was presented and adopted at the twentieth session of the International Coordinating Committee in April 2008. 6. The accreditation process plays an important role in assessing the effectiveness of NHRIs and in strengthening their performance in the fulfilment of their mandate. On that basis, the International Coordinating Committee has undertaken a number of measures to improve its accreditation procedures: (a) In order to ensure greater transparency and due process for NHRIs that are deemed not to comply with the Paris Principles, an appeal process has been included in the accreditation procedures; (b) The rigorousness of the review has increased. In that regard the Subcommittee on Accreditation bases its review on all the documentary evidence provided by the applicant NHRI, including the statement of compliance with the Paris Principles; (c) The Subcommittee on Accreditation issues more focused recommendations to each NHRI (whether “A”, “B” or “C” status) to ensure full compliance with the Paris Principles, even before the prescribed five-year time frame for review of accreditations; (d) The recommendations of the Subcommittee on Accreditation are disseminated more widely among NHRIs and other stakeholders to ensure a more proactive role in the context of follow-up action by the United Nations or NHRI regional coordinating bodies. The reports of the Subcommittee on Accreditation are posted on the Internet (www.nhri.net/default.asp?PID=607&DID=0). 7. According to article 7 of its statute, one of the functions of the International Coordinating Committee is to promote the establishment and strengthening of NHRIs in conformity with the Paris Principles. In this regard, the International Coordinating Committee continues to give high importance to the accreditation process, as evidenced in the Strategic Plan for 2010–2013, adopted by consensus at its twenty-third session, held from 22 to 25 March 2010. According to the Strategic Plan, the first strategic objective is to maintain and strengthen the accreditation process by: better preparing NHRIs for the review by the Subcommittee on Accreditation; tailoring and contextualizing the Subcommittee recommendations for specific NHRIs; strengthening the transparency in the process; and improving accessibility to the Subcommittee on Accreditation processes for NHRIs, the regional networks and civil society. 8. According to the accreditation procedure, as stipulated in article 12 of the International Coordinating Committee Statute, when the Subcommittee on Accreditation comes to an accreditation decision, that decision shall be considered an accreditation status recommendation, with the final decision being taken by the International Coordinating Committee Bureau once the following process has been completed: (a) applicant; The recommendation of the Subcommittee shall first be forwarded to the (b) The applicant can challenge a recommendation by submitting a written challenge to the International Coordinating Committee Chair, through OHCHR as the International Coordinating Committee secretariat, within 28 days of receipt; 4