A/HRC/44/18 25. In her dialogue with the Human Rights Council on 7 March 2019, during its fortieth session, the Deputy Secretary-General stated that countries could show progress in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by utilizing human rights reporting processes such as the universal periodic review, which would provide a space for discussion and cooperation among stakeholders, and that those review processes could complement the voluntary national reviews conducted in the framework of the high-level political forum on sustainable development. In her report on the implementation and enhancement of international cooperation in the field of human rights, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights noted that the United Nations system at the country level was well placed to support implementation efforts by Member States through the use of the accepted recommendations of the universal periodic review (A/HRC/41/25, para. 9). 26. During the first of its two intersessional meetings for dialogue and cooperation on human rights and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, held on 16 January 2019, the Human Rights Council examined numerous aspects of the relationship between the Sustainable Development Goals and human rights. One of the main conclusions was that the implementation of the Goals should be integrated increasingly into the universal periodic review process. Member States and other stakeholders must make better use of the universal periodic review outcomes and reports of the treaty bodies and special procedures to guide their planning, reporting and follow-up procedures for the implementation of the Goals, including in the preparation and consideration of voluntary national reviews of the high-level political forum on sustainable development. Participants concluded that States and other stakeholders should continue to share experiences and good practices in relation to integrating and aligning the promotion of human rights and the implementation of the Goals at the national and international levels. 27. At the second intersessional meeting for dialogue and cooperation on human rights and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, held on 3 December 2019, participants reaffirmed the indivisible and mutually reinforcing relationship between human rights and the 2030 Agenda as crucial for ensuring accelerated progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by the end of the decade. Participants concluded that accountability for implementation of the Goals needed to be strengthened and that the work of the human rights mechanisms, including the universal periodic review, the special procedures and the treaty bodies, could enhance voluntary national review reporting, including information on efforts to identify those being left behind and specific priorities for targeted action and resources. The universal periodic review was widely highlighted during the meeting as a key entry point for increasing reporting efficiency, enhancing accountability, advancing implementation of the Goals and contributing to prevention efforts. 28. In “The highest aspiration: a call to action for human rights”,1 the SecretaryGeneral highlighted the importance of the universal periodic review recommendations to advance the 2030 Agenda. He encouraged the full use of the human rights mechanisms, including the universal periodic review, to contribute to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly at the national and local levels. He also called for better use to be made of the universal periodic review outcomes in national development planning and in follow-up and reporting, including on the Goals and in the preparation of voluntary national reviews. Moreover, the Secretary-General stated that the United Nations would make fuller use of its human rights tools and entry points, including the universal periodic review, as a basis for meeting the challenges, opportunities and needs of the twenty-first century and for implementing the 2030 Agenda. 1 See www.un.org/sg/sites/www.un.org.sg/files/atoms/files/The_Highest_Asperation_A_Call_To_ Action_For_Human_Right_English.pdf. See also https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/ speeches/2020-02-24/human-rights-council-remarks-the-highest-aspiration. 7