A/HRC/33/26 III. Summary of the panel discussion 11. Opening the panel as moderator, the Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights said that the session was unprecedented in a number of ways, including because of the full participation of representatives from all 193 States Members of the United Nations. She introduced the former Presidents of the Human Rights Council as participants in the panel discussion. She invited the panellists to appraise the Human Rights Council. A. Contributions of panellists 12. Mr. de Alba, in a video message, highlighted the space opened up by the Council for the participation and interaction of different governmental and non-governmental actors with the special procedures and called for its reinforcement. The universal periodic review mechanism had been the new tool that had allowed the Council to bring a broader, more integrated and more balanced vision to human rights, and he called upon the Council to ensure that the universal periodic review continued to evolve into a more in-depth exercise. The relationship with the special procedures should be strengthened and the Council should begin an exercise to become more focused, as the number of special procedures had increased excessively and not necessarily in a complementary manner. Finally, he stressed the need for the Council’s relationship with the General Assembly and other United Nations bodies to evolve into that which it was originally intended, namely, that the Council was actually a responsible and last resort body and that its decisions were not challenged in the General Assembly, let alone by the Third Committee. That relationship with the Assembly, a relationship that should also extend to the Security Council and other organs, was one of the main outstanding tasks of the Council; States also needed to regain the sense of individual responsibility in the Council, rather than resorting increasingly to group positions and defensive attitudes. 13. Mr. Costea noted that the universal periodic review was a real accomplishment of the Council, although it could work better with the support of governments. When asked about the worst moment during his presidency, he referred to the challenges emanating from the application of United Nations documentation rules to the documents for the universal periodic review for the first time. 14. Ms. Dupuy Lasserre recalled that one of the messages that had emerged from the first high-level panel on human rights mainstreaming was how working on respecting women’s rights would lift millions out of poverty. That was a strong message, which must be heard. She hoped that through the universal implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals no one would be left behind and that the international community would combat violence against women and all forms of discrimination, among other things. It was those goals that brought together all human rights, including the right to development and fundamental freedoms, which allowed the growth of inclusive and democratic societies. 15. Mr. Uhomoibhi said that one of the most enduring attributes of human rights was their universality. In comparison with the Commission on Human Rights, the Council upheld that principle, ensuring that the issues that it discussed were truly global and universal and that everyone, including civil society, was allowed to participate and be a part of the process. 16. Ms. Matar said that the Council represented a hope for victims of human rights abuses all around the world. Civil society had been a part of some of the most successful outcomes of the Council, bringing in information and working closely with delegations to come up with creative solutions. However, challenges remained to civil society space and its place at the table. Acts of intimidation and reprisals against human rights defenders that 4