A/HRC/33/33 and to familiarize them with the work of OHCHR with national human rights institutions. During the period under review, fellows from the human rights institutions of Albania, Costa Rica, Egypt, Indonesia, Malawi, Malaysia, Portugal and the Russian Federation participated in the programme. 6. International conferences 78. From 8 to 10 October 2015, in Merida, Mexico, OHCHR, the Mexican National Human Rights Commission and the Global Alliance organized the Twelfth International Conference of National Human Rights Institutions on “The Sustainable Development Goals: what role for national human rights institutions?”. The Merida declaration on the role of national human rights institutions in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was adopted at this conference. III. Cooperation between United Nations human rights mechanisms and national human rights institutions A. Human Rights Council 79. During the reporting period, national human rights institutions were active before and during the sessions of the Council, delivering statements, submitting written documentation, participating in general debates and organizing parallel events and interacting with the special procedures under specific agenda items. A total of 56 institutions participated in Council sessions during the reporting period (see annex I), including 25 through video statements. 1. Universal periodic review 80. During the second cycle of the universal periodic review, the important role that independent national human rights institutions in full compliance with the Paris Principles play in the promotion and protection of human rights was highlighted in most of the reviews. Many States’ recommendations requested the establishment of national human rights institutions or advised that their capacity to fully implement their mandates be further strengthened. 81. During the second cycle, A-status institutions continued to share their independent views on the impact of the review on the promotion and protection of human rights, including good practices, challenges and emerging human rights issues. In accordance with the Council’s resolution 16/21 adopted in 2011, a summary of the written contributions submitted by A-status institutions was included as a separate section in the summary of information from stakeholders prepared by OHCHR for the second cycle (see annex II).3 82. Several A-status institutions further used the opportunity created for them by the Council to intervene immediately after the State under review during the adoption of the outcome, including through a representative of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions or through video statements. 83. Some A-status institutions contributed in writing or via video statements to the general debate under agenda item 6 of the Council, including by sharing mid-term progress reports on the status of the implementation of recommendations. 3 12 That document is one of the three documents that form the basis of the review. GE.16-11355