A/HRC/10/59 page 30 functioning of the Superior Council of Audiovisual and Communication, as well as the two draft bills contributing to the better exercise of the right to freedom of opinion and expression (notably by decriminalizing a number of press offences), should be adopted. 116. Donors can assist these efforts by continuing to fund protection and empowerment programmes benefitting the fledgling community of local NGOs, in particular groups representing women or marginalized groups such as the BaTwa. Donors should also prioritize support for local organizations by earmarking a portion of their budget for direct support to such groups. B. Recommendations on follow-up to the present report 117. In the light of the large ambit of human rights challenges in the DRC, the seven thematic special procedures have focused on identifying priorities for government action and technical assistance within the limitations of their respective mandates, while also developing a few exemplary proposals that can be implemented in the short- to medium-term with little resources. 118. In conducting their work, the authors noted that despite extensive efforts of the donor community to technically assist the Government in improving the human rights situation, there are no benchmarks against which to measure progress achieved by the Government. Benchmarks, established by the United Nations in consultation with the Government, civil society and donors, would be an important accountability measure and also of help in steering donor priorities. 119. The seven thematic special procedures urge the Council to continue taking a leadership role in ensuring that the human rights dimension of the peacebuilding process in the DRC is duly addressed. The situation in the east of the country is characterized by systematic and gross human rights violations, in particular committed by armed groups controlling territory and the state security forces. Another military escalation in the Kivus - with potentially devastating human rights implications - was underway when this report was finalized. The authors therefore recommend devising a dedicated follow-up and monitoring mechanism that extends beyond the Universal Periodic Review Mechanism and ensures continued direct engagement with the Government and civil society. The Council should strongly consider creating a special procedures mandate on the human rights situation in the DRC, in particular areas affected or threatened by armed conflict. This would build on paragraph 6 of Council resolution 9/9 on the Protection of the Human Rights of Civilians in Armed Conflict, in which the Council calls upon States involved in such conflicts to facilitate the work of any mechanism that the Council may decide to establish, as and where appropriate, in response to such violations. -----