A/HRC/10/54
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those institutions. In 2008, after four years of a valuable and effective partnership with the
Danish Institute for Human Rights, OHCHR signed a grant agreement with the Indian National
Human Rights Commission for the management of the above-mentioned website, which will be
strengthened with the development of an Intranet version that will be available to members of the
International Coordinating Committee through a username and password.
7.
In addition, in 2008 the National Institutions Unit of OHCHR introduced a fellowship
programme and issued new calls for candidates for 2009. Through the programme, A-status staff
members of national human rights institutions are selected to work in the Unit for six months in
order to gain knowledge of and experience with the United Nations human rights system. The
programme is beneficial for OHCHR, in terms of both substantive expertise and the
consolidation of direct contacts with institution staff globally.
A. Advisory services provided by the Office
8.
OHCHR has undertaken to strengthen the role of national human rights institutions at the
country, regional and global levels, mainly through its National Institutions Unit, which works in
consultation with the geographic and thematic units and field offices of OHCHR. Tailored
advice is provided on appropriate constitutional or legislative frameworks regarding the
establishment of institutions and on their nature, functions, powers and responsibilities.
Comparative analyses, technical cooperation needs assessments, project formulation and
evaluation missions are also undertaken to both establish and strengthen the institutions.
9.
During the reporting period, advice and support was provided by OHCHR concerning
national human rights institutions in Bahrain, Bangladesh, Burundi, Cambodia, Cape Verde,
the Central African Republic, Chile, Denmark, Djibouti, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Guinea Bissau,
India, Indonesia, Iraq, Kyrgyzstan, Lesotho, Liberia, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mauritania, Mauritius,
Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, South Sudan, Tajikistan,
Timor-Leste, Togo, Uganda and Uruguay. Advice was frequently provided in collaboration with
other United Nations partners, including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
and the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, national human rights institutions and their
regional networks.
1. The Americas and the Caribbean
10. In 2008, OHCHR continued to support the project to establish an ombudsman and a human
rights institute in Chile. OHCHR has provided legal advice on the draft legislation and
constitutional reform, assessing their conformity with the Paris Principles.
11. From 17 to 19 September 2008, UNDP and OHCHR organized a workshop on the
establishment of a human rights institution in Uruguay, as a follow-up to a 2005 mission, and
following the elaboration of a draft law by a working group sponsored by OHCHR and UNDP.
In addition to OHCHR and the United Nations system in Uruguay, representatives of the
institutions of Peru and Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) participated in the mission, the
purpose of which was to highlight the importance of ensuring that the draft law complies with
the Paris Principles during the deliberations in the Congress and Senate, and to confirm the
support of the United Nations, and OHCHR in particular, for the process.
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