A/HRC/RES/27/18 Welcoming the role of national human rights institutions, within their respective mandates, in contributing to the prevention of human rights violations and abuses, Commending the important role of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in assisting the development of independent and effective national human rights institutions, in accordance with the Paris Principles, and recognizing in this regard the potential for strengthened and complementary cooperation among the Office of the High Commissioner, the International Coordinating Committee of National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, regional coordinating committees of national human rights institutions and national human rights institutions in the promotion and protection of human rights, Noting with interest the twenty-seventh annual meeting of the International Coordinating Committee of National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, held from 12 to 14 March 2014, Welcoming the strengthening in all regions of regional and cross-regional cooperation among national human rights institutions, and between national human rights institutions and other regional human rights forums, 1. Welcomes the most recent reports of the Secretary-General submitted to the Human Rights Council on national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights2 and on the activities of the International Coordinating Committee of National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights in accrediting national institutions in compliance with the Paris Principles;3 2. Encourages Member States to establish effective, independent and pluralistic national human rights institutions or, where they already exist, to strengthen them to enable the effective fulfilment of their mandate to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, as outlined in the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, and to do so in accordance with the Paris Principles; 3. Recognizes that, consistent with the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, it is the right of each State to choose the framework for national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights that is best suited to its particular needs at the national level in order to promote human rights in accordance with its international human rights obligations and commitments; 4. Also recognizes the role of independent national human rights institutions in working together with their Governments to ensure full respect for human rights at the national level, including by contributing to follow-up actions, as appropriate, to the recommendations resulting from international human rights mechanisms; 5. Encourages national human rights institutions to continue to play an active role in preventing and combating all violations and abuses of human rights as enumerated in the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action and relevant international instruments; 6. Commends the International Coordinating Committee for making the role of prevention in the promotion and protection of human rights the overarching theme of its twenty-seventh annual meeting; 7. Encourages national human rights institutions to assist, advise and engage with the State and other stakeholders in the prevention of violations and abuses of human rights, including by promoting the ratification of international treaties, promoting legal and 2 3 2 A/HRC/27/39. A/HRC/27/40.