A/HRC/44/19 During 2019, the Voluntary Fund has been supporting several initiatives proposed by Member States regarding recommendations implementation plans connected with the Sustainable Development Goals and online databases. Strengthening the capacity of United Nations country teams 23. In addition to direct support for implementation of the recommendations stemming from universal periodic reviews by OHCHR field presences, another modality is the integration of support in United Nations country team programming on follow-up, in response to a government request for such assistance. Through the leadership of the United Nations Resident Coordinators, accepted universal periodic review recommendations could be increasingly reflected in common country assessments or United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks, as well as in the planning and programming documents of individual United Nations agencies, funds and programmes. Such a practice would assist States in achieving concrete progress in implementing recommendations from the universal periodic review, as well as in delivering on human rights and the Sustainable Development Goals. 24. Practical guidance from the Secretary-General on how to maximize the results of the universal periodic review process to achieve impact at the country level will be made available soon. The guidance will be an important additional tool to help United Nations entities in their technical cooperation and assistance to Member States and it could increase the use of the Voluntary Fund in this area. Strengthening parliamentary capacities for implementation 25. In its resolution 35/29, the Human Rights Council acknowledged the crucial role that parliaments play in translating international commitments into national policies and laws. This includes supporting the implementation of recommendations generated by the international human rights mechanisms, especially those from the universal periodic review that are accepted by the State. It may be noted that within the context of the universal periodic review a majority of recommendations require or involve parliamentary action. 26. In resolution 35/29, the Council also requested OHCHR to prepare a study on how to promote and enhance synergies between parliaments and the work of the Council and its universal periodic review. The resulting report (A/HRC/38/25) was based on responses to a questionnaire sent to parliaments, Member States and national human rights institutions. In the report, OHCHR stressed the importance of parliamentary human rights committees and their critical role in all phases of the universal periodic review, especially in follow-up to recommendations. Annexed to the report is a set of draft principles on parliaments and human rights, which aim to guide parliaments in setting up parliamentary human rights committees and to ensure their effective functioning. 27. Strengthening the involvement and engagement of parliaments on human rights issues, through their oversight, legislative and budgetary functions, will increase implementation of the recommendations of human rights mechanisms. OHCHR is actively promoting the role of parliaments and parliamentary human rights committees in the universal periodic review process, including through regional workshops or consultations to share good practices in the implementation of and follow-up to the universal periodic review recommendations. The regional consultation on the universal periodic review organized by OHCHR in Panama in October 2019 included a special session dedicated to the role of parliamentarians in the follow-up and implementation of the universal periodic review recommendations. Examples of parliamentary observatories monitoring the legislative agenda and the interconnection with human rights recommendations and the Sustainable Development Goals were presented as a good practice. III. Results achieved through the implementation of activities supported by the Voluntary Fund during 2019 28. The activities financed through the Voluntary Fund in 2019 can be divided into three categories: activities of OHCHR field presences; direct support to Governments; and a regional workshop on universal periodic review preparation and implementation of recommendations. Support to OHCHR field presences was provided for activities in 6