What tool does the Optional Protocol provide for monitoring rights?

The correct answer is that the Optional Protocol provides a means for claiming equal rights. The Optional Protocol specifically refers to mechanisms established to ensure compliance with human rights standards and to allow individuals or groups to seek justice when their rights are violated. By empowering individuals to bring claims regarding their rights, it fosters accountability and provides a formal avenue for addressing injustices. This means that individuals can assert their rights and seek redress, thus promoting equality and protection under the law.

The other options, such as legal funding, technical assistance, and access to public records, do not directly connect to the purpose of the Optional Protocol in the context of monitoring rights. While these options may play a role in broader human rights practices, they are not specifically mechanisms established by the Optional Protocol for individuals to claim and enforce their rights. The focus of the Optional Protocol is on enabling individuals to assert their claims regarding rights violations, making the correct answer fitting in this scenario.