A/HRC/10/57 page 4 OHCHR internal evaluation exercise of its technical cooperation programme in paying special attention to technical cooperation in the context of economic, social and cultural rights and synergies between the current technical cooperation programme and activities planned in the framework of the follow-up to the universal periodic review. As in previous sessions, the Board also focused on technical cooperation and capacity-building activities implemented through human rights advisers working in United Nations country teams and human rights components of United Nations peace missions. III. TRANSLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS THEMES INTO THE TECHNICAL COOPERATION PROGRAMME AND POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS 5. Translating the Office’s thematic capacity into action in the field remains a major priority, while technical cooperation is an important tool for operationalizing the Office’s thematic expertise. Although the 2005 plan of action emphasized the importance of technical cooperation and stipulated the essential linkage between protection and technical cooperation, activities in the field remain characterized by a diversity of approaches. The Board was pleased therefore to learn about the Office’s stocktaking and lessons-learned exercise with regard to its technical cooperation activities. It also noted with interest the outcome of the discussion on possible principles for future implementation of technical cooperation activities, which was held in the framework of the 2008 annual OHCHR consultations of heads of field presences in Geneva. The Board appreciated the strong reaffirmation of the intrinsic linkage between protection and technical cooperation and stressed that the ultimate objective of technical cooperation should be to promote institution-building and to effect genuine institutional changes for the benefit of right-holders. The Board also emphasized the need to engage in concrete interaction and partnership with Governments and civil society actors with regard to the conception and delivery of technical cooperation in order to increase the impact and sustainability of technical cooperation projects. The Board encouraged the Office to continue its work on re-assessing its technical cooperation programme and on establishing a set of principles for the implementation of future technical cooperation activities. 6. The Board appreciated the Office’s ongoing engagement to support national human rights institutions. The Board reiterated that they are central elements of strong national human rights protection systems and are crucial when addressing core protection issues. The more the United Nations system works closely with and through independent national human rights institutions, the greater the chances of success and sustainability of good governance, rule of law and human rights efforts. The Board stressed that technical cooperation programmes can only be sustained if the capacity of national partners is ensured. 7. The Board was briefed about the Office’s efforts to strengthen its capacities in economic, social and cultural rights and noted the important achievements in this area, including developments with regard to special procedures on economic, social and cultural rights, strengthened expertise at Headquarters, and the development of tools and a strategy to support field presences. It also noted the excellent activities being conducted at the field level, such as right to food activities in Timor-Leste; activities in the area of housing in Central Asia; the non-discrimination approach to economic, social and cultural rights in Nepal; and tackling forced evictions in Cambodia. The Board stated that examples of such best practices should be shared more broadly and systematically internally and publicized externally in order to ensure increased, sustained and coherent work on economic, social and cultural rights. The Board also