A/HRC/34/3 3. Sexual and gender-based violence, trafficking and related exploitation 87. The Office continued to promote a human rights-based approach to addressing trafficking in persons at the national and international levels. To that end, OHCHR provided technical and capacity-building to States and civil society, including within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals and as the Chair of the Inter-Agency Coordination Group against Trafficking in Persons. In partnership with the United Nations Disarmament Commission, OHCHR increased skills among national human rights institutions in the Arab region to combat trafficking. 88. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 10 legal clinics supported by OHCHR provided legal advice to 249 victims of sexual violence and judicial assistance to 153 victims. Further support provided to judicial authorities led to the conviction of 22 perpetrators of sexual violence. As co-lead of the Team of Experts on the Rule of Law and Sexual Violence in Conflict, OHCHR continued to provide technical assistance to national authorities, including in Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Guinea, to fight impunity for conflict-related sexual violence. 89. In the Syrian Arab Republic, OHCHR continued to focus on strengthening the skills of civil society to monitor and document sexual and gender-based violence. In collaboration with UNAMA, OHCHR facilitated national discussions with women peace activists on violent extremism and conducted monitoring, documentation and advocacy on violence against women. In Bolivia, OHCHR provided technical assistance for implementing the law on violence against women, including designing a comprehensive prevention system in collaboration with the vice-ministry of equal opportunities. In Argentina, Bolivia and Panama, OHCHR provided capacity-building support to State institutions for the national adoption and use of international human rights laws and standards in the investigation of gender-related killings of women. 90. Responding to cases of sexual violence and exploitation by United Nations staff and international peacekeepers, OHCHR advocated for the centrality of human rights to ensure a focus on protection, support to victims, accountability and the underlying factors that expose victims to sexual exploitation, including poverty, inequality, discrimination and a lack of legal remedy. OHCHR actively engaged in following up on recommendations of the Independent Review on Sexual Exploitation and Abuse by International Peacekeeping Forces in the Central African Republic. 7 OHCHR advised the Special Coordinator on Improving the United Nations Response to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse on legal issues arising from the recommendations and co-led a mapping of existing policies, responsibilities and responses to information sharing and handling of allegations. 4. Humanitarian action 91. OHCHR continued to advocate for the protection of the rights of persons affected by humanitarian crises — complex emergencies, disasters and pandemics — to be at the centre of preparedness and response. These were among the key messages communicated by OHCHR at the World Humanitarian Summit. 92. In the spirit of the Human Rights Up Front plan of action, OHCHR actively engaged in United Nations efforts to prevent and respond to violations and ensure respect for international human rights and humanitarian law in crisis settings. Human rights considerations were increasingly brought to the centre of Inter-Agency Standing Committee meetings and a Standing Committee policy on protection, co-developed by OHCHR, was endorsed during the reporting period. 7 16 “Taking action on sexual exploitation and abuse by peacekeepers”, 17 December 2015.