A/HRC/35/18 6. Since the submission of the previous report, the Board of Trustees has undertaken a field mission to the OHCHR office in Guatemala, in October 2016, and has held its regular annual session, its seventh, in Geneva in March 2017. At that session, the Board had strategic discussions with the relevant OHCHR officers on follow-up support to identify strategic options for OHCHR provision of technical assistance and cooperation aimed at assisting States to implement more effectively recommendations emanating from the universal periodic review and other international human rights mechanisms at the country level. The Board will develop the strategic options over the next six months for further consideration at its next session. 7. During the session, the Board of Trustees acknowledged the results achieved by its follow-up support strategy focusing on national follow-up mechanisms and processes at the country level. It highlighted the need for OHCHR to articulate a strategic vision for followup support focusing on and leading to better implementation on the ground of recommendations emanating from international human rights mechanisms. The Board strongly encouraged OHCHR to explore ways of providing more focused technical assistance and cooperation aimed at assisting States to implement specific key human rights recommendations and address specific issues, in accordance with the priorities established in the framework of the OHCHR Management Plan 2018-2021, which is currently under development. B. Strategic vision 8. As noted in previous reports (A/HRC/26/54, A/HRC/29/22 and A/HRC/32/28), OHCHR has been developing the capacity to provide increased support to States in their efforts to implement the outcome of the universal periodic review and other international human rights mechanisms. That effort has been anchored in a holistic and integrated approach that allows OHCHR to provide technical assistance and support that takes into account the recommendations of the universal periodic review, the treaty bodies and the special procedures. Such an integrated approach provides States with a significant opportunity to address the key human rights issues identified in the recommendations emanating from international human rights mechanisms. 9. OHCHR has been making every effort to render its follow-up support more proactive, systematic and results-oriented. To that end, it has been engaging States in their efforts to implement the recommendations of international human rights mechanisms by providing support directly through its field presences or by ensuring the integration of support in United Nations country team programming on follow-up. 10. Thus far, OHCHR has focused its support on establishing or strengthening national mechanisms and processes for follow-up. Key elements identified for more effective follow-up at the national level include a well-functioning inter-institutional body, an implementation action plan that clearly identifies achievable results and priorities, national government agencies responsible for implementation, and indicators and timelines against which to measure impact. OHCHR has made every effort to maximize its effectiveness. Support from the Voluntary Fund to strengthen national follow-up mechanisms and processes has been closely aligned and coordinated with the support provided to States under the treaty body capacity-building programme on national mechanisms for reporting and follow-up. 11. OHCHR has been increasingly providing support to address key thematic human rights issues identified in recommendations from international human rights mechanisms as priority issues for implementation on the ground. 12. In order to provide more effective support to States in implementing their human rights commitments and obligations, OHCHR will continue to adapt and revitalize its strategic vision to support States in the preparation of their national reports and the implementation of the recommendations emanating from the universal periodic review. 13. In line with the terms of reference of the Voluntary Fund, it is essential to ensure that the universal periodic review outcomes are well integrated and mainstreamed into the 3

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