A/HRC/41/30 I. Introduction 1. Pursuant to paragraph 13 of Human Rights Council resolution 39/17, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) convened, on 7 March 2019, an intersessional, half-day consultation to exchange experiences and practices of national human rights institutions in supporting the establishment and maintenance of inclusive societies and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The consultation was open to all relevant stakeholders, including States, national human rights institutions and civil society organizations. 2. The present report summarizes the written contributions submitted by national human rights institutions ahead of the consultation, as well as the discussions at the consultation. 3. The consultation consisted of two panel discussions. The first focused on “The role of national human rights institutions in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda: achievements and challenges in the implementation, monitoring and measurement of the Sustainable Development Goals”. The second focused on “How the work of national human rights institutions can better support the establishment and maintenance of inclusive societies: exchanging experiences and best practices”. The discussions resulted in a number of recommendations. II. Written contributions 4. On 7 February 2019, OHCHR invited all national human rights institutions to share their experiences, challenges and best practices in the implementation, monitoring and measurement of the Sustainable Development Goals, with a focus on Goal 16. 1 OHCHR received 12 written contributions from institutions in Argentina, Finland, Hungary, Kenya, Maldives, Nigeria, Oman, the Philippines, Slovakia, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the State of Palestine. 5. A common thread in the written contributions is that national human rights institutions support the realization of the 2030 Agenda through their unique mandate, role and functions, which allow them to promote all human rights and serve as a bridge between national stakeholders. This role is particularly important, as the Sustainable Development Goals can be achieved only with the meaningful participation and cooperation of all actors. Furthermore, national human rights institutions recognize their key position in raising public awareness about the 2030 Agenda and in promoting the integration of a human rights-based approach to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. 6. The contributions mainly describe the engagement of national human rights institutions in the implementation of the Goals through collecting data, linking the international human rights system’s recommendations and observations with the Sustainable Development Goal targets, contributing to the compilation, dissemination and use of data on human rights and on Sustainable Development Goal indicators, and identifying groups that are left behind to ensure their inclusion in the data collection related to the Sustainable Development Goals. 7. In their contributions, the national human rights institutions also share their best practices and approaches to the implementation, monitoring and measurement of the Goals. For instance, partnership and cooperation with the national statistics offices enable them to collect human rights-sensitive data on sustainable development and to help make the Goals tangible in the national context. This cooperation also enables them to identify and provide advice regarding specific groups, including those who are, or might be, at risk of being left behind. Moreover, data collected by national human rights institutions are reflected in their 1 Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels. 3