A/HRC/10/24 page 14 F. Developing a common approach to special crisis situations 47. Participants started a discussion on the development of a common approach to serious crisis situations. The former Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living, Miloon Kothari, introduced a background paper on this issue. 48. As the previous five years had seen an increase in joint activities by mandate-holders in the form of joint communications, joint missions and joint statements, the former Special Rapporteur suggested that collective responses by mandate-holders should be systematized, distinguishing between preventative work by mandate-holders in cases where certain situations could spiral into grave human rights violations, and collective work in cases of emergency situations. A number of joint initiatives that the special procedures could take were identified, including the formulation of recommendations to relevant neighbouring countries, the international community or United Nations agencies to assist the country concerned. Requesting the Human Rights Council to hold a special session on a crisis situation and playing, wherever possible, a mediatory role in ensuring that dialogue took place among actors responsible for the crisis were also mentioned as potentially valuable tools. 49. Thanking the former Special Rapporteur for his contribution, the Chairperson of the annual meeting added that collective action by the special procedures should take place under well-defined circumstances, such as the existence of an emergency; a threat to peace and security; the imminent or pending character of a humanitarian crisis; the threat of a genocide, war crimes or crimes against humanity; or the existence of a risk of widespread or systematic human rights violations (see paragraph 54 below). 50. A participant stressed that disaster and post-disaster situations should be of particular concern to the special procedures as it was important to determine appropriate human rights frameworks timely and to remind Governments of their international obligations relating to their responsibility to protect populations in situations of humanitarian crisis. Mandate-holders should also play a role in advocating for human rights protection with United Nations or aid agencies while distributing humanitarian aid. Participants stressed that the special procedures were uniquely placed to act as an early warning system in relation to situations involving serious human rights violations thanks to their ability to monitor the situation in any country of the world in the context of their specific mandates. It was also mentioned that the elaboration of general comments or guidelines by several mandate-holders on the requirements of human rights in the context of reactions to humanitarian crises could be developed. G. Legal issues: amicus curiae briefs and other 51. The Assistant Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, Larry D. Johnson, briefed mandate-holders on the issue of submitting amicus briefs before courts or participating in judicial proceedings in another capacity, particularly in relation to the scope of their immunities and privileges. 52. The Assistant Secretary-General reminded mandate-holders that, while the submission of briefs in legal procedures before national courts was a useful and important tool, they needed to be carefully considered to advance the law incrementally. Without prejudice to the independence