A/HRC/23/18 reports, which would allow them to identify synergies with regional reporting obligations. This would also alleviate the reporting burden of States. 3. Universal periodic review 23. In 2008, when the Universal Periodic Review was established, the High Commissioner addressed letters to regional organizations inviting them to submit information to the process, including the stakeholders report. Communications are addressed by OHCHR to regional organizations before every session of the universal periodic review, inviting them to submit information to be included in the stakeholders’ report. 24. The Council of Europe submits information on its member States on a regular basis. Desk-to-desk cooperation between OHCHR and the Council of Europe has been instrumental in streamlining the information submitted. Since 2009, the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights has regularly submitted information on countries that are members of the Organization of American States. Less frequently, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights also submits information on States members of the African Union. 25. Regional human rights mechanisms interact with the Human Rights Council in other contexts. For example, the President of the Council convened a side event on enhancing cooperation with regional human rights during the Council’s twentieth session. 26. Representatives of regional human rights mechanisms have increasingly addressed the Human Rights Council. At its nineteenth session, the Council of Europe, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights participated in panels on sexual orientation, the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities and the annual discussion on women’s human rights. B. Cooperation tools 27. Participants identified some cooperation tools that they deemed successful in enhancing cooperation between United Nations and regional human rights mechanisms. 1. Focal points 28. At the workshop held in 2010, participants highlighted the need for focal points in each human rights mechanism in order to ensure effective information-sharing and to facilitate joint activities.11 In May 2012, the High Commissioner addressed letters to regional human rights mechanisms, encouraging them to appoint focal points on cooperation. Regional mechanisms responded positively. OHCHR also designated focal points in the secretariats of treaty bodies, the special procedures, the universal periodic review mechanism and geographic sections. Focal points regularly liaise with the National Institutions and Regional Mechanisms Section of OHCHR, which is responsible for coordinating efforts on cooperation between United Nations and regional human rights mechanisms. 29. Participants underscored the important role played by focal points in strengthening cooperation. For example, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights appointed a focal point within the secretariat responsible for circulating among the 11 8 A/HRC/15/56, paras. 23 and 57.