A/HRC/RES/57/23 disabilities, gender equality and respect for the evolving capacities of children with disabilities, Concerned that, despite the various instruments and undertakings, persons with disabilities continue to face barriers in their participation as equal members of society and violations and abuses of their human rights in places throughout the world, Reaffirming the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, and reaffirming also its statement of the important and constructive role played by national human rights institutions, in particular in their advisory capacity to the competent authorities, and their role in preventing, remedying and assisting victims to find remedies to human rights violations and abuses, in the dissemination of human rights information and education in human rights, Recalling the principles relating to the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (the Paris Principles) and the establishment of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions, Reaffirming the importance of, and welcoming the rapidly growing interest and progress throughout the world in, establishing and strengthening independent, pluralistic national human rights institutions, in accordance with the Paris Principles, Recalling that the existence of independent national human rights institutions in compliance with the Paris Principles is a global indicator of progress towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 16, taking note of the report of the Secretary-General on progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals,1 including this indicator, and calling upon all States to accelerate progress under this indicator, Reaffirming the important role that such national human rights institutions play, and will continue to play, in promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms, including of human rights defenders, strengthening participation, in particular of civil society organizations, persons with disabilities and their representative organizations, Indigenous Peoples, persons belonging to minorities, minority groups and persons in vulnerable situations, promoting the rule of law, developing and enhancing public awareness of those rights and fundamental freedoms and contributing to the prevention of human rights violations and abuses, Encouraging greater efforts to investigate and respond to increasing reports of acts of intimidation and cases of reprisal against national human rights institutions, their members and staff and those who cooperate or seek to cooperate with them, Recognizing the important role that national human rights institutions can play in preventing and addressing acts of intimidation and cases of reprisal as part of supporting cooperation between States and the United Nations in the promotion of human rights, including by contributing, as appropriate, to follow-up actions and to recommendations made by international human rights mechanisms, and in this regard recalling the Marrakech Declaration, adopted at the thirteenth International Conference of National Human Rights Institutions, 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, Commending the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and regional networks of national human rights institutions, including the Network of African National Human Rights Institutions, the Network of National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights in the Americas, the Asia-Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions and the European Network of National Human Rights Institutions, for their important work in support of the development and strengthening of independent and effective national human rights institutions compliant with the Paris Principles, 1 2 A/79/79-E/2024/54.