A/HRC/RES/45/22 1. Welcomes the most recent reports of the Secretary-General submitted to the Human Rights Council on national human rights institutions 4 and on the activities of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions in accrediting national human rights institutions in compliance with the principles relating to the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (the Paris Principles); 5 2. Encourages Member States to establish effective, independent and pluralistic national human rights institutions or, where they already exist, to strengthen them to enable the effective fulfilment of their mandate to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, as outlined in the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, and to do so in accordance with the Paris Principles; 3. Stresses the importance of the financial and administrative independence and the stability of national human rights institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights, notes with satisfaction the efforts of those Member States that have provided their national human rights institutions with more autonomy and independence, including by giving them an investigative role or enhancing such a role, and encourages other Governments to consider taking similar steps; 4. Also stresses that national human rights institutions and their respective members and staff should not face any form of reprisal or intimidation, including political pressure, physical intimidation, harassment or unjustifiable budgetary limitations, as a result of activities undertaken in accordance with their respective mandates, including when taking up individual cases or when reporting on serious or systematic violations, and calls upon States to promptly and thoroughly investigate cases of alleged reprisal or intimidation against members or staff of national human rights institutions or against individuals who cooperate or seek to cooperate with them and to bring perpetrators to justice; 5. Encourages national human rights institutions that are compliant with the Paris Principles and their networks to continue to participate in and contribute to, including where relevant by providing parallel reports and other information, the work of the Human Rights Council and its universal periodic review mechanism, the special procedures and the treaty bodies and all other relevant United Nations forums, and also encourages all relevant United Nations mechanisms and processes, including in the discussions on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the high-level political forum on sustainable development, and the review of General Assembly resolution 72/305, on the strengthening of the Economic and Social Council, to strengthen the independent participation of national human rights institutions compliant with the Paris Principles, in accordance with their respective mandates; 6. Welcomes the important role of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions, in close cooperation with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, in assessing conformity with the Paris Principles and in assisting States and national institutions, when requested, to strengthen national human rights institutions in accordance with such principles, also welcomes the continuing number of national institutions seeking accreditation status through the Global Alliance, and encourages relevant national institutions, including ombudsman institutions, to seek accreditation status; 7. Encourages the Secretary-General and all United Nations human rights mechanisms and relevant United Nations agencies, funds and programmes, working within their respective mandates, to continue to give high priority to requests from Member States for assistance in the establishment and strengthening of national human rights institutions, to work with Member States and national human rights institutions in the protection and promotion of human rights, and to strengthen United Nations system-wide coordination in support of national human rights institutions; 8. Recognizes the contribution that national human rights institutions have made to the promotion and protection, and prevention of violations, of human rights by exercising 4 5 4 A/HRC/45/42. A/HRC/45/43.