A/HRC/7/29
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complementarities within the entire system, including treaty bodies and country engagement
strategies of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR),
was mentioned.
Participants discussed cooperation with regional mechanisms, including good practices. It
was suggested that representatives of key regional mechanisms should be invited to participate in
future annual meetings, and that ways to ensure more regular mandate-holder participation in
meetings of regional organizations should be explored. Enhanced institutional arrangements for
the exchange of information between regional organizations and OHCHR were considered
necessary.
Participants also discussed their engagement with United Nations country teams, including
how special procedures could better influence the programming process and the national
development process. It was stressed how UPR implied a new collective responsibility for the
United Nations system in the field of human rights. Participants welcomed the efforts of
OHCHR to ensure enhanced integration of their work into country analysis and programming. It
was stressed that training and awareness-raising of country teams were essential in order to
achieve enhanced synergies. The need to think about ways to strengthen follow-up by country
teams to special procedures recommendations was highlighted.
During the joint meeting with chairpersons of treaty bodies, participants exchanged views
on UPR. Participants stressed that it could offer a political forum to follow up their work. The
challenge was to see to what extent special procedures and treaty bodies should tailor their
activities in order to have an impact on the UPR process. Participants also addressed the issue of
non-cooperation with the UPR system, and the ways and means through which this could be
addressed.
In the discussion with representatives of non-governmental organizations and national
human rights institutions, the need for the Coordination Committee to take a greater role in
coordination of country visits and joint statements was indicated. The desirability for the
Committee to conduct an annual dialogue with the Council was highlighted. Other issues raised
included increased focus on follow-up; more regular representation of mandate-holders in
meetings of regional organizations; joint missions; closer attention to discrimination and
violence on grounds of gender identity; the situation of people living in extreme poverty;
translation of reports into local languages; and enhancing the website.
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