The Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions (APF) and the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (RWI) have collaborated for many years in building the capacity of national human rights institutions (NHRIs) in the Asia Pacific region through training programmes. These programmes are very practical in their orientation. They equip Commission members and staff to undertake the range of functions of their institutions more effectively, with better strategies and more professional methodologies. The conduct of national human rights inquiries has been one of the major subjects in these training programmes. This manual explains what a national inquiry is, how it relates to the work of an NHRI as a whole and how it is undertaken. It provides a “how to” guide to NHRIs considering or conducting a national human rights inquiry.