A/HRC/10/54 page 21 C. Transitional justice 90. Following an international round table of national human rights institutions on transitional justice, hosted by OHCHR and the South African Human Rights Commission, in Cape Town, South Africa, from 22 to 25 November 2007, OHCHR elaborated a guidance note on institutions and transitional justice. The note is intended to assist institutions in their engagement with transitional justice to improve their institutional role of promoting and protecting human rights during the period of democratic transition. VII. CONCLUSIONS 91. National human rights institutions compliant with the Paris Principles are key elements of a strong, effective national human rights protection system. In particular, they can support Governments in ensuring that international human rights norms are applied at the national level, including by facilitating follow-up actions to the recommendations resulting from the international human rights system. The Secretary-General encourages closer cooperation between non-governmental organizations and these institutions, especially in connection with core protection issues, including the protection of human rights defenders. They have also shown to be important partners in the international human rights system, especially through the Human Rights Council, the human rights treaty bodies and special procedures. 92. The Secretary-General welcomes the recent unanimous adoption by the General Assembly of its resolution 63/172 on national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights, in which the Assembly, inter alia, reaffirms the importance of the development of effective, independent and pluralistic institutions in line with the Paris Principles; recognizes the role of independent institutions working with Governments to ensure respect for human rights at the national level, including in the follow-up to recommendations from international human rights mechanisms; encourages Member States to establish or strengthen institutions, and welcomes the growing number of States doing so; recognizes the role played by human rights institutions in the Human Rights Council, including the universal periodic review and special procedures, as well as in treaty bodies, in accordance with Council resolutions 5/1 and 5/2 and Commission on Human Rights resolution 2005/74; acknowledges the role of institutions in the strengthening of the rule of law; commends the high priority given by OHCHR to work on institutions and encourages the High Commissioner to ensure that appropriate arrangements are made and budgetary resources provided to continue and further extend these activities and invites Governments to contribute additional voluntary funds to that end; and encourages institutions to seek accreditation status through the International Coordinating Committee and notes with satisfaction the strengthening of the accreditation procedure and the continued assistance of OHCHR in this regard, as well as the assistance of OHCHR to Committee conferences. 93. The Secretary-General also appreciates the adoption of the Nairobi Declaration at the ninth International Conference of National Human Rights Institutions. The text, agreed unanimously by over 150 representatives of 51 fully compliant institutions worldwide, is testimony of their growing role in the administration of justice and the rule of law. They are encouraged to give due attention to the practical recommendations of the Conference with respect to action and cooperation with the judiciary, the police and prison administration and to follow-up on them at the national level.