9. CAPACITY BUILDING OF THE ZHRC THROUGH NATIONAL, REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOPS ZHRC has received numerous technical cooperation and capacity building initiatives from Development Partners to equip the Commission to effectively execute its mandate. The training courses that ZHRC has undertaken in 2016 were essential in guiding the staff to develop methodological tools and to adopt best practices and lessons from other NHRIs. 9.1 Learning visit to Namibia Ombudsman ZHRC undertook a learning visit to the Namibian Ombudsman Offices from the 5th to the 11th of June 2016. The purpose of the exchange visit was to allow ZHRC secretariat to learn from the Office of the Namibian Ombudsman principles on complaints handling. These principles pertain to case management, research and resultant drafting of case analysis, investigative techniques, human rights education techniques and methods as well as human rights monitoring and evaluation tools and reporting techniques. The learning visit to the Namibian Office of the Ombudsman was an eye-opener as it provided pointers for areas where the Commission needs to improve such as case and information management. 9.2 Development of tools to Monitor and Inspect Mental Health Institutions The Commission conducted a 2 day workshop to develop tools to monitor and inspect Mental Health Institutions. This workshop was held from the 20th to the 21st of June 2016. Participants present at the workshop included; Government, CSOs and Development Partners. In light of the fact that the ZHRC had not yet developed standard guidelines 34 and tools for monitoring and inspecting mental health institutions this workshop was crucial in improving methods for carrying out monitoring and inspections visits. The workshop used a participatory approach allowing participants to make contributions to the different elements that would make up the tools. The outcome of the 2 day workshop was a draft model of tools to be used by ZHRC in fulfilling its function of monitoring and inspecting mental health institutions. 9.3 Investigative Techniques Workshop In the course of the year the Commission receives and considers complaints from the public and takes appropriate action in regard to the complaints. Section 243 (1)(f) of the Constitution entitles ZHRC to investigate complaints where it is alleged that any of the human rights and freedoms set in the Declaration of Rights has been violated by any authority or person. Every investigation attempts to uncover the truth of a specific event or incident. In order for the Commission to be effective in this regard it was prudent for it to be armed with the requisite skills in conducting investigations. Therefore, ZHRC secretariat was trained on investigative techniques from the 4th to the 8th of July 2016 in Nyanga. The structure of the training workshop covered a wide range of topics which included amongst others; principles of investigations, application of human rights perspective to conducting an interview and the principles of good report writing. Through this training workshop ZHRC Secretariat acquired the knowledge on how to conduct a formal inquiry in order to establish the truth of matters that they undertake in their day to day work. Protecting, Promoting and Enforcing Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms