A/HRC/34/74 very specific expertise to support the work of United Nations country teams, very effective. Through its national human rights focal points in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Peru and Uruguay, and through close collaboration with Resident Coordinators, the regional office has advanced human rights mainstreaming considerably, and in particular the mainstreaming of anti-discrimination standards within the said country teams. The regional office systematically provides technical advice on human rights standards in all activities carried out by the country teams in the region, leading to greater increased openness and understanding of human rights. The preparations for the forthcoming OHCHR programming cycle for 2018-2021 could be an excellent opportunity to develop further and renew the roles of regional settings, with strengthened capacity in providing direct support to partners in the region and in relationships with other presences. 27. The Board was briefed by the secretariat on the status of implementation of the workplan and cost plan for the Voluntary Fund for Technical Cooperation. At the Geneva meeting, held earlier in 2016, the Board had reviewed in detail the programmes covered by the Voluntary Fund. It endorsed the status of implementation and noted the possible changes in the workplan for 2017, including the possible closing of some offices, in particular the end of the mission in Côte d’Ivoire and the downsizing of the office in the Russian Federation. 28. The Board proposed that its first session in 2017 be held in Geneva in March, and that the next field session, to be held in October 2017, should be to a country office or regional office in the Middle East, a region the Board has not yet visited. III. Technical cooperation A. Technical cooperation to support implementation of and follow-up on recommendations by human rights mechanisms 29. In recent years, the Board has brought to the attention of the Human Rights Council a number of components for effective technical cooperation by OHCHR that have become evident in its experience of overseeing the management of the Voluntary Fund. The Board, through its reports and presentations to the Council, has already elaborated on the importance of (a) anchoring technical cooperation to the universality and indivisibility of all human rights, including both protection and promotion aspects; (b) building and strengthening national frameworks and institutions in the field of human rights through technical cooperation and advisory services; (c) partnerships with United Nations entities on the ground; (d) technical cooperation programmes ensuring the broadest possible participation of all elements of national societies; and (e) effective technical cooperation reflecting national development objectives. 30. The Board continues to elaborate on the main elements of the above-mentioned components, building on its experience gained at its sessions in Geneva and in the field. The advice and guidance provided have been beneficial for supporting OHCHR in the implementation and development of the technical cooperation aspects of its programme for 2014‒2017, and were also noted as relevant by several Member States during the annual thematic discussions on technical cooperation and the annual presentations of the report of the Chair of the Board to the Human Rights Council. In the present report, the Board elaborates on its view that, to be effective, technical cooperation in the field of human rights should be based upon and support implementation of and follow-up to the recommendations made by international human rights mechanisms, such as human rights treaty monitoring bodies, the universal periodic review and the special procedures of the Council. 9