A/HRC/18/41 to enhance follow-up and to strengthen their cooperation and coordination to that end. Ways in which recommendations were taken into account through existing mechanisms and procedures, including other human rights mechanisms, such as the universal periodic review and the procedures of treaty bodies, entities such as OHCHR field presences, New York-based bodies such as the Peacebuilding Commission, and in the development and implementation by New York-based bodies of Common Country Assessments and United Nations Development Assistance Frameworks and other national level mechanisms, were discussed. The initiatives of several individual mandates in relation to follow-up were highlighted, with the differences between country and thematic mandates being taken into account. These included regional consultations to take stock of the status of implementation of recommendations in countries of a particular region; and follow-up reports and visits and the practice of sending letters and questionnaires to Governments and other stakeholders to seek feedback on the status of implementation of recommendations on a systematic basis. Feedback was used to inform strategies and work plans of mandate holders. A compilation of good practices on follow-up was recommended. 2. External support 20. Participants were briefed on the effects of the current financial climate on the United Nations and OHCHR, particularly in the light of the fact that new mandates and additional tasks required of special procedures were not always funded. It was pointed out that, although statements of programme budget implications had been presented to the Human Rights Council, new activities were frequently required to be undertaken within existing resources. While increased regular budget funding was essential, voluntary funding from States, sometimes generated through the activities of mandate holders, had been very valuable, with the Office taking advantage of unearmarked contributions to ensure that resources were equitably distributed among mandates. The independence and integrity of mandate holders were underlined, and it was emphasized that contributions should come without conditions. Various arrangements to support mandate holders through a combination of United Nations and non-United Nations resources existed in the light of the insufficiency of regular budget resources. There were several positive examples of how staff within the United Nations and teams based outside the Organization worked together on the basis of a clear understanding of their respective roles and responsibilities. The importance of transparency among and between mandate holders and OHCHR and disclosure of resources available for the functioning of the mandates was emphasized by mandate holders. Good practices in seeking and accepting non-OHCHR support were discussed, as were the different considerations to be taken into account in respect of country and thematic mandates. Mandate holders agreed that further work should be undertaken to enhance transparency and safeguard mandate holders’ independence and impartiality. 3. Enhancing information-sharing 21. Ways to improve information-sharing on thematic issues, existing resources and tools, including the Universal Human Rights Index, were presented and discussed. While acknowledging the current workload and resource constraints, additional ways to institutionalize and exchange knowledge of thematic issues, tools and methodologies (for example, the preparation of missions, reports, formulation of recommendations and cooperation with United Nations agencies), including through new technologies, such as extranets or databases accessible by mandate holders and staff, were also considered. It was suggested that guidance on the use of new technologies to facilitate efficiency and effectiveness of the work of mandate holders be developed. It was recommended that reports should be made more user-friendly for the general public by, for example, including short summaries of the findings in more accessible language and making the thematic focus of reports more visible. Efforts to make the website more user-friendly, including though the posting of additional information on the impact of the work of mandates and crosscutting themes or mandates’ thematic focus, were recommended. Suggestions on ways to 8