The North's Human Rights Commission has responded to sustained criticism by publishing an action plan.
Chief commissioner Prof Brice Dickson said the document released yesterday sought to reassure critics that the commission was "absolutely committed to working in a united and consistent manner to promote the rights of everyone here".
However, nationalists remained critical last night, with Sinn Féin claiming the plan did not address "core issues" and the SDLP calling for Prof Dickson's resignation.
Ms Inez McCormick, Ms Christine Bell and Mr Patrick Yu have already resigned from the commission. Two further members have opted to "withdraw" from activity but retain membership.
It is also embroiled in a controversy about its role in funding a court action against the police over their handling of the Holy Cross school protest in north Belfast.
Formed after the signing of the Belfast Agreement in 1998, the commission is also tasked with drawing up a Bill of Rights. The time limit on this has been extended but there is still no end to the consultations.
Nationalists regard human rights as a key element in post-Belfast Agreement arrangements and are anxious for progress.
Ms Bairbre de Brún (Sinn Féin) has said the commission is "broken and needs fixed", while the SDLP leader, Mr Mark Durkan, said that, "with a clear head and a heavy heart", Prof Dickson should consider his position.
The party denied last night it was "leading any posse to destroy this institution" but added that everyone knew there was a problem.
The action plan is a clear fight back and includes demands for more resources from the British government and increased powers.
The plan presses for yet more consultation on a Bill of Rights and calls for a round-table forum on the bill.
The commission also commits itself to answering criticism contained in a Westminster report on its activities published last July and promises publication of another external review.
Given the criticisms levelled to date, the commission also pledges a new communications strategy and seeks a new consultative forum which would advise on public relations.
It also addresses the Holy Cross controversy and endorses "the integrity of all commissioners involved to date in the commission's casework", particularly with regard to the protest at the school in 2001.
Although the commission agreed to fund a legal challenge to the police tactics, Prof Dickson expressed reservations about the decision and wrote to the then chief constable, Sir Ronnie Flanagan, telling him as much.
The commission said yesterday Prof Dickson was "mistaken" in entering the correspondence.
Prof Dickson admitted to The Irish Times last night that the commission was friendless among the large parties both unionist and nationalist, and he was concerned it was being kicked around for political purposes.
However, he said he had no intention of resigning, promising instead that the action plan would remedy areas of the body's work that needed attention.
"We're not seeking confrontation," he said.
"We're seeking to reassure our critics that they need not lack confidence in our impartiality and efficiency."
He said the Bill of Rights project was continuing in a "transparent and consultative" way, and should be completed within 18 months.
Other casework was being "completely and properly processed", he added.
He blamed the "lack of consensus among the political parties" for the time taken to approve recommendations on a Bill of Rights, and admitted that nationalists wanted a more comprehensive set of proposals than unionists.
He continued: "All of our proposals in this regard are work-in-progress, we don't have a definitive position yet. So we think it's a bit unfair of people to be criticising our stance when we don't have a final stance."
Prof Dickson claimed the objections raised by those who had resigned their commission seats were being addressed.
Ms de Brún said last night Sinn Féin would take time to consider the plan fully. She added: "However, this plan cannot address the core issues of structure, appointments, resources and remit. These are matters for the British government which we again raised with them in recent days. We will continue to raise these issues with the two governments in our ongoing discussions."
The SDLP was more critical. Mr Durkan said: "If action plan is the best that can be done in answering our concerns, then we believe that the chief commissioner should resign, since there is no basis for believing that confidence will be restored while he remains."