A/HRC/39/20 71. National human rights institutions with A status participated in all stages of the development of the global compact for migration, including intergovernmental negotiations leading to the 2018 Intergovernmental Conference. V. Role of national human rights institutions with A status 72. In 1993, the General Assembly welcomed the Paris Principles, while the World Conference on Human Rights encouraged the establishment and strengthening of national institutions with respect to the Paris Principles, reaffirming the important and constructive role they play in the promotion and protection of human rights. 73. By July 2018, i.e. 25 years later, 112 institutions had been accredited in accordance with these principles, of which 80 with A status and 32 with B status. Of the 80 institutions with A status, 21 are operating in Africa, 15 in the Americas and the Caribbean, 16 in Asia and the Pacific, and 28 in Europe. 74. The Human Rights Council and the General Assembly both recognized the role of OHCHR in assisting the development of independent and effective national human rights institutions.5 Both bodies have also recognized the important role of national human rights institutions fully compliant with the Paris Principles as key partners of the United Nations, granting them enhanced participatory rights in United Nations mechanisms and processes. Being more visible, institutions with A status may face reprisals and other acts of intimidation, in relation to their cooperation with United Nations mechanisms and processes. In its resolution 33/15, the Human Rights Council stressed that national human rights institutions and their members and staff should not face any form of reprisal or intimidation, including political pressure, physical intimidation, harassment or unjustifiable budgetary limitations, as a result of activities undertaken in accordance with their respective mandates, including when taking up individual cases or when reporting on serious or systematic violations in their countries. 75. National human rights institutions in full compliance with the Paris Principles have been recognized as playing a key role in the implementation and follow-up to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. OHCHR, UNDP, the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions and the four regional networks of national human rights institutions have supported national human rights institutions to implement the Mérida Declaration. VI. Recommendations A. Recommendations to Member States 76. Member States should establish national human rights institutions compliant with the Paris Principles. 77. Member States should fully observe the independence of existing institutions and support their strengthening to enable the effective fulfilment of their mandate, taking into account the recommendations of the Subcommittee on Accreditation of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions and the advice of OHCHR. 78. Member States should ensure that national human rights institutions are provided with a broad mandate to protect and promote all human rights, including economic, social and cultural rights, and are granted adequate powers of investigation into allegations of human rights violations, including the competency to visit places of deprivation of liberty. 5 12 See General Assembly resolution 72/181.

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