A/HRC/15/56 different regions, experts and interested States Members of the United Nations, observers, national human rights institutions and representatives of non-governmental organizations”.2 7. In preparation for the workshop, in November and December 2009 OHCHR organized regional consultations with regional human mechanisms in Africa in Addis Ababa; in the Americas in Washington D.C.; and in Europe in Strasbourg. The discussions mainly focused on the core functions of the United Nations human rights system and the respective regional human rights mechanism, as well as their methods of work and operational procedures. The main objective of the consultations was to identify existing and potential areas for greater cooperation and dialogue between the United Nations human rights system and the regional human rights mechanisms. 8. In the course of the consultations it was recognized that regional human rights mechanisms had played a significant role in the development and advancement of human rights standards. The complementary role between the national, regional and international mechanisms and the need for effective cooperation, especially in the implementation of human rights standards at the national level was noted. Participants also concluded that cooperation could be enhanced in several areas, in particular, in information sharing, possible joint activities and follow-up to decisions and recommendations resulting from international and regional human rights mechanisms.3 9. The present report summarizes the discussions that took place during the workshop held in May 2010, including conclusions and recommendations based on key points of the discussions, aimed at strengthening cooperation between international, regional and subregional human rights mechanisms. II. Cooperation between international and regional human rights mechanisms 10. Participants in the workshop included representatives of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR); the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights; the Tribunal of the Southern African Development Community (SADC); the Court of Justice of the Economic Community of Western African States (ECOWAS); the InterAmerican Commission on Human Rights (IACHR); the Inter-American Court of Human Rights; the Council of Europe; the Fundamental Rights Agency of the European Union (EU); the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE); and the Indonesian representative of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR). The United Nations human rights system was represented by the Chair of the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances; the Chair of the Committee on Migrant Workers; the Vice-Chair of the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture; a member of the Human Rights Committee; and the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders. Member States, national human rights institutions (NHRIs), including chairs of regional networks and secretariats of NHRIs, and prominent international and national NGOs were also invited. 11. The meeting took stock of developments regarding cooperation between regional and international human rights mechanisms, including the results of the regional consultations, as well as contributions from emerging human rights mechanisms, including the AICHR and the human rights bodies of the League of Arab States. The NHRIs and 2 3 Operative paragraph 4. See annexes I, II and III which contain summaries of the discussions of the regional consultations in Africa, the Americas and Europe. 5