A/60/333 rights bodies and procedures, the most important need was for follow-up to their recommendations. That could be achieved, inter alia, through the provision of technical cooperation, where requested. A step in this direction has been taken through the inclusion of minority issues in the OHCHR Guidelines for Technical Cooperation Project Management, adopted on 31 May 2005. To assist in further mainstreaming minority issues as human rights concerns in the work of the United Nations in the areas of development and peace and security, it may be necessary to consider further ways of providing training in minority rights and developing appropriate methodological tools, such as profiles and a matrix on minorities. IV. Participation of non-governmental organizations and persons belonging to minorities in minority-related activities 16. OHCHR organized the first Minority Fellowship Programme in 2005 in Geneva. Five fellows from different regions took part in a three-month programme with the aim of gaining knowledge about human rights and minority rights standards and how to use human rights mechanisms to assist their organizations or communities to better promote and protect human rights. They learned about the work of the treaty bodies, the Commission on Human Rights and NHRIs, especially through establishing contact with NHRI representatives and working with the secretariat servicing the annual session of the International Coordinating Committee of National Institutions. The five fellows also participated in the eleventh session of the Working Group on Minorities. 17. Funding was received to enable a number of members of disadvantaged minority groups in Latin America, Eastern and Western Europe, Asia and Africa to participate in various minority-related activities organized by OHCHR. They included the workshop on conflict prevention and resolution mentioned above, the tenth and eleventh sessions of the Working Group on Minorities in 2004 and 2005 and in the training workshops on minority rights held in 2004 and 2005 in Geneva and jointly organized by OHCHR and Minority Rights Group International. Members of minorities received training in how to cooperate with and make use of the United Nations human rights system. During the training sessions, NGOs shared their experience of advocacy for the implementation of human rights and of networking with a view to strengthening cooperation internationally for the promotion and protection of minority rights. At the Working Group on Minorities, NGOs and members of minorities had an opportunity to engage in dialogue with Governments. The participation of persons belonging to minorities in human rightsrelated activities has also been supported by the organization of the subregional meetings mentioned earlier held under the auspices of OHCHR and in cooperation with the Working Group on Minorities. 18. The General Assembly has before it at its present session Economic and Social Council decision 2004/278 of 22 July 2004 in which “The Council also recommended to the General Assembly that it give favourable consideration to the establishment of a voluntary fund on minority-related activities”, with a view to providing further funding for the participation of persons belonging to minorities in minority-related activities. 19. In the light of the increasing importance attached to the participation of civil society, including members of minorities, in the international system, the following 8 05-48136