A/HRC/10/52 page 5 Introduction 1. In its resolution 1793 (2007), the Security Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Integrated Office in Sierra Leone (UNIOSIL) for nine months, ending 30 September 2008, to assist the Government in furthering the consolidation of peace. Following the termination of this mandate, the Security Council, in resolution 1829 (2008), established the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Sierra Leone (UNIPSIL) for 12 months, effective as of 1 October 2008. The human rights mandate of the mission remains the same: (a) to provide assistance to national commissions and institutions for the promotion of good governance and human rights, including the development of a national plan of action for human rights; (b) to monitor and promote human rights, democratic institutions and the rule of law; and (c) to support decentralization, the review of the 1991 Constitution and the enactment of relevant legislation. Most activities conducted by UNIOSIL Human Rights and Rule of Law Section in fulfilling the above mandate fell under the core areas of the Plan of Action of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and were implemented with funding support from OHCHR. Thus, in addition to providing advisory and technical services, several projects were conducted by the Section with OHCHR funding. This report covers the human rights situation in Sierra Leone in 2008 and the activities of UNIOSIL and, subsequently UNIPSIL which was established during this period. I. THE HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION A. Civil and political rights 2. Sierra Leone has continued to register a positive trend towards respect for civil and political rights. Presidential and parliamentary elections were conducted in 2007 and on 5 July 2008, the people of Sierra Leone went to the polls to elect representatives in local district councils across the country. There was a general consensus among local and international observers including the National Democratic Institute (NDI) based in the United States of America and National Elections Watch (NEW), a coalition of local civil society organizations, that the elections were free, fair and credible. Notwithstanding, there were instances of political intolerance, intimidation and harassment, especially of opposition and independent candidates, which impacted on the exercise of their political rights. Significant improvement was noted in the representation of women: out of 225 female candidates, 86 were successful, winning close to 18 per cent of the 475 seats that were contested, and 26 more than in 2004. 3. There were a number of reported cases of intimidation and harassment against opposition politicians during the electoral period and these actions were sometimes ordered or endorsed by highly placed Government officials including Members of Parliament. One notable incident was the attack on the convoy of the former Vice-President, and Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) presidential candidate, in Koidu Town by alleged All Peoples’ Congress (APC) supporters during his visit to launch the SLPP campaign for the local council elections in Kono District on 15 June. 4. The country is still divided along political and ethnic lines. The level of distrust between the two major political parties - the ruling APC and the SLPP which lost the elections - has prevented effective dialogue and meaningful political discussions on key national issues. This distrust has been exacerbated in part by a number of incidents starting with the annulment of the