A/HRC/19/21 14. The Council strongly rejected any act of intimidation or reprisal against those who cooperate with the United Nations and its representatives in the field of human rights. 15. The Council established several new mandates: a new working group on transnational corporations and other business enterprises, a special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, an independent expert on Côte d’Ivoire, a special rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence and an independent expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order. At its eighteenth special session, the Human Rights Council also created a special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Syrian Arab Republic once the mandate of the commission of inquiry comes to an end. The mandate of the independent expert on the situation of human rights in Burundi came to an end. There are now 45 special procedures mandates (35 thematic and 10 geographically related), including six five-member working groups. The Council also expanded the scope of the mandate on toxic waste, to encompass the human rights obligations related to environmentally sound management and disposal of hazardous substances and waste. 16. From January to November 2011, special procedures mandate holders conducted 75 country visits and issued 543 communications. More States extended standing invitations to special procedures, bringing the number of such invitations to 89 in November. However, approval by States of visits and responses to communications remain at around 35 per cent. The Council, in the review of its work and functioning, again called on States to cooperate effectively with the procedures and reaffirmed the principles of independence, integrity and expertise, which enable the mandate holders to fulfil their functions effectively. 17. My Office continued to strive mechanisms and encouraged them harmonization of working methods. holders have become routine. A joint Rights Council at each of its sessions. (d) for efficient use of resources in supporting these to continue to improve the coordination and Induction sessions for newly appointed mandate communications report is submitted to the Human Treaty bodies 18. The Committee on Enforced Disappearances held its first session in November. The Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities considered its first State party report, the initial report of Tunisia. In 2011, treaty bodies adopted some 120 concluding observations and 130 decisions on individual cases. As at November, there were 2,041 ratifications of human rights treaties. OHCHR continued to provide technical assistance upon the request of State parties on the reporting process, individual communications and follow-up. 19. OHCHR continued to facilitate dialogue among stakeholders, aimed at developing proposals for strengthening the treaty body system. Consultations took place among all the major stakeholders: treaty body experts, States, non-governmental organizations, national human rights institutions, academics and United Nations agencies. In November, a meeting in Dublin gathered the conveners of all the consultations and the chairpersons of treaty bodies. I intend to compile all proposals in a report to be issued in mid-2012. Key proposals relate to the further alignment of the working methods of the 10 treaty bodies. Others entail new approaches that will require joint endeavours to carry forward, taking into account the specificities and independence of the different treaty bodies. The implementation of these proposals will be mainly in the hands of treaty bodies and States parties. A cost evaluation of key proposals will be provided. 20. My Office maintains the Universal Human Rights Index (www.universalhumanrightsindex.org), the only electronic tool compiling recommendations from the treaty bodies, special procedures and the universal periodic 5