A/HRC/23/27 institutions to promote follow-up to recommendations made by the United Nations human rights system and to facilitate their engagement with it. 50. In July 2012, OHCHR gave a presentation on how the Centre for Human Rights of the Republic of Moldova could be strengthened to ensure compliance with the Paris Principles and to better fulfil its role as a national preventive mechanism. A meeting on the mechanism was organized by UNDP and the Centre for Human Rights of Moldova, in Chisinau. Furthermore, the OHCHR regional office for Central Asia and UNDP organized training sessions for the staff of the Centre for Human Rights on human rights and gender analysis of draft legislation. 51. In May 2012, the staff members of the Office of the Ombudsman of Ukraine attended a study tour at OHCHR headquarters. Participants improved their knowledge on the work of OHCHR and established direct contacts with OHCHR staff. In July 2012, the OHCHR Human Rights Adviser in Ukraine and UNDP facilitated a capacity assessment of the Office of the Ombudsman aimed at assisting the new incumbent to define her Office’s priorities and to strengthen its human rights protection mandate. Under a joint OHCHR/UNDP initiative, a national preventive mechanism department was created within the Office of the Ombudsman and training was provided to its staff. 52. Also in Ukraine, in December 2012, the Ombudsman hosted public hearings on the second universal periodic review of Ukraine. The event, involving government representatives, civil society and OHCHR, was used as a platform to discuss existing human rights issues and to outline mechanisms to implement accepted review recommendations. 53. In June 2012, after the adoption in Kyrgyzstan of a law on national preventive mechanisms, OHCHR provided expertise to the staff of the Office of the Ombudsman in drafting rules of procedure for the establishment of the national preventive mechanism, which were endorsed by Parliament in October 2012. These rules were used to convene, in February 2013, the first Coordination Council of the National Centre for the Prevention of Torture. 54. The OHCHR regional office for Central Asia provided support to the Ombudsman of Tajikistan on human rights education and conducted a training session for trainers. 55. During the period under review, the regional office held meetings with the Ombudsman of Kazakhstan to advocate for the establishment of an national preventive mechanism and for the adoption of a Law on the Ombudsman by Parliament in accordance with the Paris Principles. 5. Middle East and North Africa 56. During the period under review, OHCHR regional offices for the Middle East and for North Africa, OHCHR offices in Mauritania, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Tunisia and Yemen, the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) and the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), and the United Nations Training and Documentation Centre in Qatar continued to provide advice and assistance, in partnership with the National Institutions and Regional Mechanisms Section, in the establishment and strengthening of national human rights institutions in the Middle East and North Africa region. 57. OHCHR and the national human rights institution of Mauritania conducted a number of activities, including joint prison visits, a national consultation on transitional justice, a workshop on the harmonization of national legislation with international human rights instruments, a round table on the state of ratification of international human rights treaties, and a study mission to Morocco on the subject of transitional justice. 9