A/HRC/35/20
and regional networks of national human rights institutions to undertake capacity
assessments of established national human rights institutions as the basis for capacitybuilding programmes and activities. OHCHR has also worked with regional networks of
national human rights institutions, with regional organizations and with civil society in the
development of publications and tools to enhance the capacity of national human rights
institutions.
30.
Support by OHCHR for national human rights institutions has evolved and
expanded significantly over the last ten years. An increasing number of national human
rights institutions are benefiting from OHCHR technical support. In 2015, national human
rights institutions from 71 countries received technical assistance from OHCHR on the
establishment or strengthening of the institution (some examples are given below). In
addition, OHCHR has long provided secretarial support to the international coalition of
national human rights institutions. In 2016, that coalition changed its name to the Global
Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions. Annual general meetings of the Global
Alliance, and meetings of its Bureau and its Subcommittee on Accreditation, as well as the
its international conferences, are held with support by OHCHR in its capacity as the Global
Alliance’s secretariat.
31.
The most important assistance provided by OHCHR to national human rights
institutions takes place at the national and local level, where many country offices, human
rights advisers, human rights components of peacekeeping missions or regional OHCHR
presences work hand in hand with national human rights institutions, on all continents. In
Iraq, for example, the human rights office of the United Nations Assistance Mission for
Iraq and UNDP have carried out capacity-building activities for the national human rights
institution’s commissioners and staff, including the elaboration of a plan of action on
capacity development for 2014 and 2015.
32.
In Somalia, the Government adopted legislation for the creation of a commission for
human rights, in June 2013. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia human
rights component had presented parliamentarians with an assessment of the draft bill’s
compliance with the Paris Principles and recommended that broader consultations take
place with the regions and civil society.
33.
The human rights section of the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in
Sierra Leone has consistently provided financial and technical support since the
establishment of the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone, and in 2013 focused on
strengthening the Commission’s monitoring capacity.
B.
Supporting national development goals and human rights commitments
through technical cooperation
34.
As the Board of Trustees has argued, effective technical cooperation should reflect
national development objectives in order to create true ownership and thereby sustainability
of the activities. Therefore, the OHCHR Technical Cooperation Programme prioritizes
support for initiatives that ensure the inclusion of human rights in national and local
development planning and implementation. Such support ensures that the technical
cooperation programmes are demand-driven and reflect national priorities and
commitments, including those made in the framework of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development. Furthermore, the Human Rights Council, in its resolution 31/5, has
welcomed OHCHR technical cooperation efforts aimed at realizing economic, social and
cultural rights.
35.
In several countries, OHCHR has contributed to the inclusion of human rights in
national and local development plans. In Mexico, the point of departure for this work was a
number of human rights assessments (diagnósticos), both at the national level and at the
state level, carried out by the Government with technical support from OHCHR. In 2006,
OHCHR Mexico launched a methodology to develop human rights assessments and
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