A/HRC/45/49 III. Cooperation with the United Nations human rights mechanisms and national mechanisms to promote and protect human rights A. Action to implement the recommendations of the universal periodic review and other United Nations mechanisms 60. The Joint Office continued to provide technical and financial support to the Interministerial Committee on Human Rights as part of cooperation between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the treaty bodies. From 4 to 8 November 2019, the Joint Office contributed to the organization of a series of workshops on the implementation of the recommendations made during the third cycle of the universal periodic review, in which Committee members participated. The Committee also received technical and financial support, which made it possible to hold a workshop to validate the addendum to the fourth periodic report of the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,6 on 11 December 2019. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, other technical support activities have been cut back or postponed. B. Update on national mechanisms for the protection and promotion of human rights 1. National Human Rights Commission 61. In accordance with its mandate, the National Human Rights Commission engaged in advocacy for the development and adoption of laws relating to civil liberties, in line with international instruments, with the financial or technical support of the Joint Office. In addition, the Joint Office has initiated several activities to strengthen the Commission’s technical and operational capacity. For example, from 2 to 5 October 2019, 60 members and managerial staff of the Commission received training in the Code of Ethics and Conduct for Investigators, and 26 coordinators of the provincial branches were trained in general notions of human rights and monitoring and preparing reports on human rights. 62. The Commission has raised its public profile. With the support of the Joint Office, it organized an open house from 2 to 9 September 2019 in Kinshasa. It now has a five-year strategic plan and an institutional communications strategy in the country’s 26 provinces. These developments have enabled it to carry out various activities for the promotion and protection of human rights, including the following: observation of the general human rights situation; 208 visits to places of detention; publication of four reports and views on the alignment of national legislation with international standards and instruments; processing of 4,194 complaints, including 1,400 decisions to refer victims to the competent courts; and submission of further reports to the universal periodic review mechanism, the Committee against Torture and the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women. 63. However, the Commission still faces a lack of financial resources and qualified staff and challenges in forming an association and creating synergies with civil society organizations, despite the existence of a framework for monthly exchanges of information. 2. Other national mechanisms 64. A permanent human rights commission was established within the National Assembly in March 2019 following joint appeals from the Joint Office, the National Human Rights Commission and civil society organizations. A capacity-building programme for this commission was adopted in conjunction with the Joint Office. On 8 November 2019, the Joint Office provided support for raising awareness among members of this commission 6 GE.20-11014 Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ministry of Human Rights, “Information provided by the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the recommendations of the Human Rights Committee contained in the concluding observations (CCPR/C/COD/CO/4) made in paras. 20 (sexual violence), 28 (situation in Kasai), and 48 (participation in public affairs and elections)”, December 2019. 11