equality bodies

These bodies may form part of agencies with responsibilities at the national level for defending human rights or safeguarding individual rights. Equality bodies have the competence to (a) provide independent assistance to victims of discrimination in pursuing their complaints of discrimination, (b) conduct independent surveys concerning discrimination and publish independent reports, and (c) make recommendations on any issue relating to such discrimination. They may have a relatively specific mandate related to discrimination on the grounds of sex and gender, or a broader mandate to counteract discrimination across a range of grounds, including age, disability, sex and gender, race or ethnic origin, religion or belief, sexual orientation or gender identity.