A/HRC/10/54 page 5 I. INTRODUCTION 1. The present report is submitted pursuant to Human Rights Council decision 2/102, in which the Council requested the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to continue with the fulfilment of her activities, in accordance with all previous decisions adopted by the Commission on Human Rights and to update the relevant reports and studies. The present update outlines progress achieved since the last report of the Secretary-General submitted to the Council (A/HRC/7/69). II. OFFICE OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS INSTITUTIONS 2. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) accords priority to the establishment and strengthening of national human rights institutions with due regard for the Principles Relating to the Status of National Institutions (the Paris Principles), adopted by the General Assembly (resolution 48/134, annex). OHCHR is also engaged in improving United Nations system-wide coordination on the work of national human rights institutions, and supports their increased participation in the United Nations human rights system. OHCHR encourages the sharing of good practices among national human rights institutions, supports the strengthening of their regional and international networks and facilitates their access to United Nations country teams and other relevant partners within and outside the United Nations system. 3. The national human rights institutions compliant with the Paris Principles are partners central to national human rights protection systems and are important counterparts for OHCHR. They can play a crucial role in promoting and monitoring the effective implementation of international human rights standards at the national level, a role that is increasingly recognized by the international community. 4. As pointed out by the United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights in her opening statement at the ninth International Conference of National Human Rights Institutions on 22 October 2008, OHCHR continued in 2008 to support national human rights institutions to center their work on core protection issues, such as the prevention of torture and degrading treatment, summary executions, arbitrary detention and disappearances, or the protection of human rights defenders. The Deputy High Commissioner also mentioned that they can, and should, play a role in advancing all aspects of the rule of law, including with regard to the judiciary, law enforcement agencies and the correctional system. 5. During the reporting period, OHCHR sought, through a wide range of activities, to heighten its commitment to supporting the building of strong national human rights institutions and to increasing the effectiveness of their regional coordinating bodies. 6. Since 2003, OHCHR has maintained a website on national human rights institutions (www.nhri.net). The site, linked to websites of existing national human rights institutions and to the OHCHR main webpage, includes information on country and thematic issues of interest to