A/HRC/RES/12/15 page 2 consider the possibility of establishing regional and subregional arrangements for the promotion and protection of human rights where they do not already exist, Reaffirming the fact that regional arrangements play an important role in promoting and protecting human rights and should reinforce universal human rights standards, as contained in international human rights instruments, 1. Welcomes the report of the Secretary-General on the workshop on regional arrangements for the promotion and protection of human rights (A/HRC/11/3), held on 24 and 25 November 2008 in Geneva, including its conclusions and recommendations; 2. Also welcomes the progress made by Governments in the establishment of regional and subregional arrangements for the promotion and protection of human rights, and their achievements in all regions of the world; 3. Further welcomes the regional efforts made by Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to advance the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the Southeast Asian region, as manifested by the establishment of the Association’s Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights; 4. Requests the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to hold a workshop on regional arrangements for the promotion and protection of human rights on a regular basis and to convene the next one in the first semester of 2010, within existing resources, to allow further sharing of information and concrete proposals on ways and means to strengthen cooperation between the United Nations and regional arrangements in the field of human rights and the identification of strategies to overcome obstacles to the promotion and protection of human rights at the regional and international levels, with the participation of representatives of the relevant regional and subregional arrangements from different regions, experts and interested States Members of the United Nations, observers, national human rights institutions and representatives of non-governmental organizations; 5. Also requests the High Commissioner to present to the Council, at its fifteenth session, a report on the discussions held at the above-mentioned workshop and on the progress towards the implementation of the present resolution. 30th meeting 1 October 2009 [Adopted without a vote.]