A/HRC/23/27 I. Introduction 1. The present report is submitted pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 20/14, in which the Council requested the Secretary-General to report to the Human Rights Council at its twenty-third session on the implementation of that resolution. The report outlines progress achieved since the previous relevant report of the Secretary-General (A/HRC/20/9). It should be read in conjunction with the report of the Secretary-General to the Council on the activities of the International Coordinating Committee of National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights in accrediting national institutions in compliance with the Principles relating to the Status of National Institutions (the Paris Principles). 2. In its resolution 20/14, the Human Rights Council recognized the important role of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in assisting the development of independent and effective national human rights institutions in accordance with the Paris Principles. It also welcomed the important role of the International Coordinating Committee, working in close cooperation with OHCHR, in assessing the conformity of national human rights institutions with the Paris Principles and in assisting governments and those institutions in capacity-building and strengthening. In resolution 20/14, the Council recognized the important role played by national human rights institutions in the Council, including in the universal periodic review and special procedures mechanisms, and in the treaty bodies, as well as the contributions of national institutions compliant with the Paris Principles to the work of the Commission on the Status of Women and the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Open-ended Working Group on Ageing. 3. Since 2008, OHCHR has hosted a fellowship programme for the staff of A-status national human rights institutions. The programme is designed to provide fellows with information on and working experience with the United Nations human rights system, and to familiarize themselves with OHCHR work with national human rights institutions. OHCHR also benefits from substantive expertise provided by the fellows from the various regions. During the period under review, fellows from the national human rights institutions of India, Mauritania, Morocco, the Philippines, Qatar and South Africa participated in the programme. II. Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and national human rights institutions A. Advisory services 4. OHCHR activities to establish and/or strengthen national human rights institutions are led by the National Institutions and Regional Mechanisms Section. Together with OHCHR field presences and in collaboration with United Nations agencies, in particular the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and with regional networks of national human rights institutions, the Section continued to assist Governments in establishing human rights institutions and/or engaging in their capacity-building. In that context, OHCHR works closely with intergovernmental organizations, academic institutions, civil society organizations and other national stakeholders. 5. OHCHR provides national human rights institutions and other national stakeholders technical and legal assistance, in particular on constitutional or legislative frameworks regarding the establishment, nature, functions, powers and responsibilities of institutions. 3