A/HRC/10/54 page 2 Summary The present report, which covers the period from January to December 2008, contains information on the activities undertaken by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in relation to national human rights institutions; measures taken by Governments and institutions in this regard; partnership initiatives with United Nations agencies and other international and regional organizations; and cooperation between national human rights institutions and international human rights mechanisms to promote and protect human rights. Specifically, the report highlights the main achievements, challenges and priorities for OHCHR at the national level, where efforts span from encouraging preliminary steps in the establishment of national human rights institutions to supporting their ongoing longevity and effectiveness in fulfilling their mandate. It also discusses the role played by OHCHR in facilitating cooperation between those institutions at the regional and international levels and summarizes key activities conducted in this regard, such as the ninth International Conference of National Human Rights Institutions. Information regarding the work of national human rights institutions in respect of specific thematic issues, such as conflict prevention and the prevention of torture, the sixtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the rule of law and the administration of justice, and transitional justice, is also included.