A/HRC/43/68 based on the results of the analysis of situations on the ground, in close cooperation with national partners, in order to propose the best possible programmes. The Board has observed that such partnerships help to implement policies and practices that advance the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals and human rights for all. The Board has observed with satisfaction how there is an increase in the cross-fertilization of practices and programmes across regions, with OHCHR enhancing its capacities and opportunities to promote knowledge-transfer across its field presences. 7. In line with its mandate to promote and solicit contributions and pledges to the Voluntary Funds, during the period under review, the Board continued actively participating in outreach events, a number of which were organized jointly with the OHCHR External Outreach Service. The outreach events are also proving to be a very useful way for the Board to communicate its views and observations. There has been growing interest on the ground in the Board’s findings and suggestions regarding engagement with OHCHR for technical cooperation. National partners at the sessions in South Africa and Latin America identified a need to increase support to promote economic, social and cultural rights, as well as to address other critical frontier issues, such as corruption, migration and business and human rights. II. Activities of the Voluntary Fund and the Board of Trustees 8. The Board of Trustees held its forty-eighth session in Geneva from 19 to 21 March 2019 and its forty-ninth session at the Regional Office for Southern Africa in Pretoria from 4 to 6 November 2019, with some members visiting the OHCHR project in Mozambique on 7 and 8 November 2019. The sessions were chaired by Mr. Kjaerum. The Board reviewed the status of implementation of the workplan and cost plan for the Voluntary Fund, reviewed in detail the programmes to be covered by the Fund in 2020 and formally endorsed them. 9. The Board met with the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva and provided them with a briefing on the recent activities of the Board, on the views, perspectives and good examples and practices of the work of the Office, as observed by the Board during their visits to all types of OHCHR presences across all regions, and on the particular relevance of and support to programmes under the frontier issues identified in the programme of work of OHCHR. A. Forty-eighth session (Geneva) 10. The Board took the opportunity of its meeting in Geneva, coinciding with the fortieth session of the Human Rights Council, to receive an update and follow up on various discussions regarding technical cooperation programmes. In particular, the Board focused most of its forty-eighth session in its capacity also as the Board of Trustees of the Voluntary Fund for Financial and Technical Assistance in the Implementation of the Universal Periodic Review to continue providing policy guidance on the operationalization of that Fund and the complementarities and lessons learned with regard to the support being provided through the two Funds. Discussions included ways to continue supporting enhanced capacities on the ground for reporting and follow-up to the work of the international human rights mechanisms, taking stock of the implementation of the programmes supported by the two Funds and developing its future programme of work. 11. The universal periodic review process is a unique opportunity for the United Nations system to strengthen follow-up action at the country level by enhancing coordination at the national, international and United Nations entity levels and improving the alignment of plans for the realization of human rights and for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. At its meetings at the country and regional levels, the Board has observed how the current United Nations development system reform is providing practical avenues for strengthening cooperation between OHCHR and United Nations country teams, supporting the work of the human rights advisers and assisting States in responding to the 3