A/HRC/23/18 I. Introduction 1. In its resolution 18/14, the Human Rights Council requested the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to hold a workshop on regional arrangements for the promotion and protection of human rights to take stock of developments since the workshop held in September 2010 on the same subject. The Council also requested that the workshop include a thematic discussion, based on concrete and practical experience of regional mechanisms, to exchange information on best practices and lessons learned and discuss new possible forms of cooperation. In resolution 18/14, the Council requested the High Commissioner to present to the Council, at its twenty-second session, a report containing a summary of the discussions held at the workshop and of the progress towards the implementation of that resolution.1 2. The Office of the High Commissioner (OHCHR) accordingly organized a workshop on the theme “Enhancing cooperation between United Nations and regional human rights mechanisms”, in Geneva, from 12 to 14 December 2012 (see annex I). The present report reflects the discussions held at the workshop and progress in the implementation of resolution 18/14. 3. The Human Rights Council has recognized the important role played by subregional and interregional human rights arrangements on several occasions. In its resolutions 6/20 and 12/15, it requested OHCHR to hold an international workshop to put forward concrete proposals on ways and means to strengthen cooperation between United Nations and regional arrangements in the field of human rights. Workshops were thus held in November 20082 and May 2010.3 At both meetings, participants recognized the need to strengthen cooperation between United Nations and regional human rights mechanisms through the establishment of specific mechanisms. At the workshop held in 2010, participants identified information-sharing, joint activities and follow-up to recommendations from United Nations and regional human rights mechanisms as the main areas in which such cooperation could be enhanced. OHCHR submitted a report on the conclusions and recommendations of the workshop to the Human Rights Council at its fifteenth session. 4 4. Following the adoption of Human Rights Council resolution 18/14, OHCHR held three consultations with regional human rights mechanisms, attended also by national human rights institutions, non-governmental organizations and academics, aimed at identifying the themes of the workshop held in 2012 and possible future biennial workshops: • In Washington, D.C., in November 2011, with the participation of the InterAmerican Commission of Human Rights • In Geneva, in December 2011, with the participation of the Council of Europe, the European Union Fundamental Rights Agency, and the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (the Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was also invited) 1 Owing to the postponement of the workshop to 12 to 14 December 2012, the secretariat informed the Human Rights Council that the report on the workshop would be submitted to the Council at its twentythird session (see A/HRC/22/68). 2 See A/HRC/11/3. 3 A/HRC/15/56. 4 Ibid. 4