A/HRC/15/56
2.
Specific
24.
Human rights mechanisms can bilaterally or multilaterally decide to establish
cooperation arrangements that go beyond the minimum agreed at the international level,
taking into account the needs and development of each human rights mechanism.
C.
Cooperation between regional human rights mechanisms
25.
The United Nations, through OHCHR, can facilitate the dialogue between regional
and subregional human rights bodies by providing a global perspective and sharing lessons
learned and best practices. In addition, OHCHR can support the process by providing
technical assistance. Cooperation between regional human rights mechanisms can contribute
to the elaboration of cooperation strategies between international, regional and subregional
mechanisms.
D.
Role of national human rights institutions and non-governmental
organizations
26.
NHRIs and NGOs play an important role in monitoring the application of
international human rights standards and following up on the implementation of judgments,
decisions and recommendations emanating from United Nations and regional human rights
mechanisms. Both international and regional human rights mechanisms have encouraged
NHRIs to interact with them on a regular basis.5 NHRIs and NGOs also contribute to the
strengthening of the capacity of States to ensure implementation of international human
rights norms. It is therefore necessary to include them as full participants in the cooperation
process between human rights mechanisms.
E.
Challenges
1.
Insufficient resources
27.
International, regional and subregional human rights mechanisms, as well as NHRIs
and NGOs have very limited human and financial resources.
28.
Cooperation strategies should take into account the limited financial resources of
stakeholders. The United Nations, regional organizations and governments, should allocate
resources to allow effective and sustained cooperation between international, regional and
subregional human rights mechanisms. Donor support initiatives could contribute to the
achievement of this goal.
2.
Lack of knowledge of international and regional human rights mechanisms
29.
The participants shared the view that international, regional, subregional and
national human rights protection systems are unknown to some relevant actors and the
general public at the regional and national level. It was thus suggested that international and
regional human rights mechanisms, together with NHRIs and NGOs, should undertake
public awareness-raising about human rights mechanisms and international human rights
standards. Information on the functioning of international, regional, subregional and
national mechanisms and how to have access to them needs to be broadly disseminated.
Translation of official documents and case law into local languages will help this
dissemination, as well as cooperation at the technical level between human rights
5
8
See para. 47 below.
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