A/HRC/23/18 • In Addis Ababa, in February 2012, with the participation of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights 5. Participants in the consultations recommended prevention of torture as one of the themes to be addressed during the workshop held in 2012 as a cross-cutting issue on which regional human rights mechanisms had accumulated practical experience. They also suggested other themes, including women’s rights, indigenous peoples’ rights, human rights defenders, the rights of the child, the rights of persons with disabilities, trafficking in persons and the rights of internally displaced persons and refugees. 5 6. In April 2012, OHCHR held a briefing for States Members of the United Nations in Geneva to inform them on the themes proposed by regional human rights mechanisms at the above-mentioned consultations. 7. The present report summarizes the discussions held during the workshop held from 12 to 14 December 2012, including its conclusions and recommendations. It also summarizes the discussions and recommendations of the first meeting of focal points for cooperation, held immediately after the workshop on the afternoon of 14 December 2012. II. Progress in cooperation between United Nations and regional human rights mechanisms 8. In accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 18/14, the first session of the workshop was devoted to taking stock of developments in cooperation between United Nations and regional human rights mechanisms since the workshop held in 2010. Participants included representatives of the secretariats of United Nations human rights treaty bodies and the special procedures, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the Council of Europe, the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights and the Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). A. Cooperation with United Nations human rights mechanisms 9. Participants shared experiences and good practices, including the added value of cooperation mechanisms, as well as challenges encountered in their application. 1. Special procedures 10. In 2007, a meeting attended by OHCHR staff supporting United Nations special procedures and representatives of the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the Council of Europe was held in order to enhance the understanding of their respective organizational structures and working methods. 11. A dialogue between special procedures of the United Nations and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights was held in January 2012 in Addis Ababa, which led to the adoption of a road map on cooperation with recommendations to enhance collaboration. A joint working group of representatives of United Nations and African Commission special procedures was established to oversee the implementation of the road 5 At each consultation, participants adopted a protocol containing the proposed themes in order of preference. 5