This publication is designed to assist National Human Rights Institutions (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 publication 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.