A/HRC/RES/45/9 Recognizing also that the knowledge, training and awareness of public servants, human rights education and the promotion of a human rights culture within the public service play a vital role in promoting respect for and the realization of human rights in society, Recognizing further that meaningful progress towards good governance can better be achieved with appropriate tools or mechanisms to review, measure and assess such progress, Welcoming the contribution of the United Nations Public Service Awards programme, which recognizes excellence in public service to the promotion of the role, professionalism and visibility of public service, and noting its review to align it with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Welcoming also the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by the General Assembly in its resolution 70/1 of 25 September 2015, including its recognition of the need to build peaceful, just and inclusive societies that provide equal access to justice and that are based on respect for human rights, including the right to development, on effective rule of law and good governance at all levels, and on transparent, effective and accountable institutions, Stressing that transparent, accountable and participatory government, responsive to the needs and aspirations of the people, including women and members of vulnerable and marginalized groups, is the foundation on which good governance and democracy rests, and that such a foundation is a sine qua non for the protection of human rights, especially in times when humanity is on an unprecedented scale confronted with such crises as the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, Noting that, used in compliance with international human rights law, information and communications technology can be an effective tool to foster greater participation and contribute to promoting human rights principles and good governance, while being mindful of the impact, opportunities and challenges of rapid technological change with regard to the promotion, protection and enjoyment of human rights, Noting with concern that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a detrimental effect on public access to reliable information, and stressing that providing transparent, accurate and timely information can contribute to containing the pandemic and its impact while respecting the right of every person to hold an opinion without interference and to freedom of expression, including the right to seek, receive and impart information, including accurate information relating to public health and safety and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, through any media, both online and offline, and acknowledging the United Nations “Verified” initiative that encourages us all to check the advice we share, Noting that States have been confronted with the need to provide public services and to respond to the needs of people in the exceptional circumstances of a global pandemic, Recalling that the Global Humanitarian Response Plan for COVID-19 is aimed at ensuring a global response in the fight against the virus to support the most vulnerable, especially women and children, older persons and persons with disabilities, and conflictaffected populations living under already dire humanitarian conditions with extremely poor or non-existent public services, such as health-care systems, and acknowledging that the elimination of any impediments to the delivery of humanitarian assistance to residents living in conflict-affected zones, and their access to it, in accordance with international humanitarian law, is of the utmost importance for alleviating their heavy plight and realizing their human rights, Taking into account the ongoing work of the United Nations system and other relevant international and regional organizations relating to the role of good governance in the promotion and protection of human rights, 1. Welcomes the convening on 14 June 2019 of a half-day intersessional seminar on the role of good governance in the promotion and protection of human rights, and on sharing best practices in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, including Goal 16 in this regard; 3