A/HRC/10/52 page 17 4. Enhancing the cooperation of Sierra Leone with United Nations human rights treaty bodies 57. In order to encourage engagement by the national authorities with the work of the United Nations human rights treaty bodies, the Section worked closely with the Government to facilitate the ratification and domestication of international human rights instruments, and compliance with the country’s reporting obligations under international treaties. A national strategy on treaty bodies reporting was adopted by the Cabinet, which is now being implemented by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with the Section providing advisory services and technical support. The Section secured the designation of 55 technical staff from the various ministries and agencies of the Government as “focal persons” on treaty bodies reporting and trained them on all substantive issues involved in the reporting process and report drafting. The Section also provided technical assistance to the drafting of the common core document for the treaty monitoring bodies. A secretariat is now being established in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to support and coordinate the treaty body reporting process. It may be recalled that Sierra Leone is in default of its reporting obligations under at least four international treaties, in some cases as far back as 1973. 5. Human rights monitoring and reporting 58. In furtherance of its monitoring mandate and to ensure comprehensive coverage of the country, the Section, in addition to its headquarters office in Freetown, maintained four field offices: Bo field office to cover the Southern Province; Kenema field office to cover the Eastern Province; Makeni field office to cover the Northern Province; and Freetown field office to cover the Western Area and its environs. In addition to their valuable monitoring activities, these field presences engaged in capacity-building and advocacy, which included training of Government officials, civil society and traditional leaders on various human rights issues. 59. In 2008, the Section issued 250 daily reports, 50 weekly reports, and 11 monthly reports. These reports informed the United Nations system as to the human rights situation throughout the country and aimed to encourage and facilitate the taking of appropriate actions to address issues identified through interventions with key stakeholders. The Section also produced thematic reports on specific human rights issues including a monitoring report on sexual and gender-based violence (January-March 2008) and contributed to the regular periodic reports required under the UNIOSIL mandate. C. Monitoring local government elections 60. The Section monitored the human rights aspects of the local government elections on 5 July 2008. Human rights and fundamental freedoms relevant to elections, including freedom of association, movement, expression, assembly, the right to vote, equality and non-discrimination were generally respected. Notwithstanding, as mentioned earlier there were reports of isolated incidents of interference in the exercise of these rights.