A/HRC/41/42 37. In its resolution that established the mandate, the Commission on Human Rights instructed the Special Rapporteur to cooperate closely with the Committee. Over the years, that cooperation has been somewhat challenging, primarily owing to the differing scope of both mandates, as well as the lack of institutional and substantive cooperation between them. Financial constraints have also had a limiting effect on developing such cooperation. The relationship was further challenged through repeated calls for a separate convention on violence against women and the evaluation of its feasibility over the past 20 years, including through the findings of the former mandate holder, Rashida Manjoo, in her report to the Human Rights Council in 2015 (A/HRC/29/27), in which she called for a new international instrument to address the issue. The current mandate holder continued the assessment of her predecessor and submitted to the General Assembly a report on the adequacy of the international framework on violence against women (A/72/134). That report was based on answers received from 300 stakeholders, including regional mechanisms on women’s rights and violence against women, and concluded that, within the current context, the focus should be on the implementation of existing instruments, while a long-term solution could be explored through the adoption of an optional protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women that could provide further legally binding provisions on the right of women and girls to live a life free from violence. 38. The process of evaluating the international framework on violence against women prompted the Committee to update its landmark general recommendation No. 19. In that regard, the Special Rapporteur was invited by the Committee to collaborate in the development of a new general recommendation and, as such, she participated in the elaboration and adoption of general recommendation No. 35 (2017) on gender-based violence against women, updating general recommendation No. 19. That was the first example of such formal collaboration between a treaty body and a special procedure mandate holder. 39. In its general recommendation No. 35, the Committee acknowledged the Special Rapporteur’s contribution to the document’s creation, as well as her work in the implementation of her mandate and the Convention. It also recognized that the prohibition of gender-based violence against women had evolved into a principle of customary international law and, as such, was binding on all States. It also provided an updated road map for preventing and combating violence against women. 40. Unfortunately, general recommendation No. 35, which provides the most advanced standards on violence against women and provides an updated road map for preventing and combating violence against women, has had limited dissemination within the United Nations system and beyond. 41. Although the Committee has increased references to violence against women in its work, its reporting guidelines do not cover it sufficiently, while the time allocated to the issue during country review sessions is inadequate. In that regard, and in line with the framework of cooperation developed between the Special Rapporteur and the Committee, the establishment of a standing working group on violence against women within the Committee would be an important step to contributing to its elimination. 42. In addition to the mandate of the Special Rapporteur, a number of other special procedure mandate holders have incorporated a gender perspective into their work over the years, with some having focused specifically on the issue of violence against women. The Working Group on the issue of discrimination against women in law and in practice was established in 2010 and, in addition to addressing discrimination against women, it also considers violence against women in a variety of settings and contexts. 43. In 2016, the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment assessed the applicability of the prohibition of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment in international law to the unique experiences of women, girls and other groups (A/HRC/31/57). The Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences was invited to contribute to that report and to participate in its launch presentation. 9