A/HRC/16/76 I. Introduction 1. The present report is submitted pursuant to Human Rights Council decision 2/102, in which the Council requested the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to continue with the fulfilment of her activities, in accordance with all previous decisions adopted by the Commission on Human Rights and to update the relevant reports and studies. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) had initially interpreted decision 2/102 as extending previous reports of the Commission on Human Rights and providing for an annual reporting cycle. Until recently, this interpretation had been deemed to have received the tacit approval of member States. However, an objection was placed on the record in 2010 in the context of another report which also referred to decision 2/102 as the basis for its annual reporting. OHCHR has thus reviewed the said decision, and concluded that the Human Rights Council sought to fill a technical gap by ensuring that reports which were deemed to have been submitted to the sixty-second session of the Human Rights Commission would be extended by one year and transferred to the subsequent substantive session of the Human Rights Council. With this transition period over and an objection now on record with regard to the initial interpretation of annual reporting cycles, if the Human Rights Council wishes such reporting to be continued, a new Human Rights Council resolution or decision on the matter should be tabled. 2. The present report outlines progress achieved since the last report of the SecretaryGeneral submitted to the Human Rights Council at its thirteenth session in March 2010 (A/HRC/13/44). This report should be read in conjunction with the Secretary-General’s report to the General Assembly on the role of the Ombudsman, mediator and other national human rights institutions in the promotion and protection of human rights (A/65/340), and the Secretary-General’s report to the Human Rights Council on the process currently utilized by the International Coordinating Committee to accredit national institutions in compliance with the Paris Principles (A/HRC/16/77). II. Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and national human rights institutions (NHRIs) 3. In compliance with the Paris Principles, NHRIs are essential pillars of national human rights systems for the promotion and protection of human rights. They can play a crucial role in promoting and monitoring the effective implementation of international human rights standards at the national level. By its resolution A/RES/64/161 and a number of earlier resolutions, the General Assembly recognized the role of NHRIs in working with governments to ensure full respect for human rights at the national level, including by contributing to follow-up actions, as appropriate, to the recommendations resulting from the international human rights mechanisms. In her opening statement at the 23rd Annual Meeting of the International Coordinating Committee, held in Geneva from 23 to 25 March 2010, the High Commissioner highlighted the instrumental role that NHRIs play in monitoring the implementation of international human rights law and standards. 4. OHCHR accords priority to the establishment and strengthening of NHRIs with due regard for the Principles Relating to the Status of National Institutions (the Paris Principles) adopted by the General Assembly in its resolution 48/134. OHCHR supports the increased contribution of NHRIs in the United Nations and regional human rights mechanisms. OHCHR encourages the sharing of good practices among NHRIs, supports the strengthening of their regional networks, and facilitates their cooperation with United 3