A/HRC/45/42 I. Introduction 1. The present report is submitted pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 39/17, in which the Council requested the Secretary-General to submit a report on the implementation of that resolution at its forty-fifth session, including examples of best practices among national human rights institutions. The report covers the period from August 2019 to July 2020. 2. In resolution 39/17, the Council referred to the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, and reaffirmed the statement contained therein of the important and constructive role played by national human rights institutions, in particular in their advisory capacity to the competent authorities, and their role in preventing, and assisting victims to find remedies to, human rights violations and abuses, in the dissemination of human rights information, and in education in human rights. 3. In the same resolution, the Council recognized the importance of the independent voice of national human rights institutions in promoting and protecting all human rights, including, in accordance with their mandates, economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights, particularly in the context of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which sought to realize the human rights of all. 4. The Council, in the same resolution, also recognized the important role of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions, in close cooperation with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), in assessing conformity of national human rights institutions with the principles relating to the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (the Paris Principles) and in assisting States and national institutions, when requested, to strengthen national human rights institutions in accordance with such principles. II. Support provided by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to national human rights institutions A. Advisory services 5. The General Assembly and the Human Rights Council, carrying over the mandate given by the Commission on Human Rights to the Centre for Human Rights, have mandated OHCHR to provide assistance for the establishment and strengthening of national human rights institutions.1 6. Together with its field presences and other United Nations entities, including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), OHCHR assists Governments in establishing and strengthening national human rights institutions and/or contributes to building the capacity of such institutions. In that context, OHCHR works closely with regional intergovernmental organizations, civil society organizations, academic institutions and other relevant stakeholders. 7. OHCHR provides technical and legal assistance to national human rights institutions, particularly in the area of constitutional and legislative frameworks relating to their establishment, nature, functions, powers and responsibilities. It also conducts and supports comparative analysis, technical cooperation projects, needs assessments and evaluation missions to establish national human rights institutions or strengthen their capacity to discharge their mandate effectively and efficiently. 1 2 See Commission on Human Rights resolution 1992/54, General Assembly resolution 70/163 and Human Rights Council resolution 33/15.