A/HRC/23/44 internal displacement context: achievements and challenges two decades later” (24 October 2012), which was also the theme of the report presented by the Special Rapporteur at the General Assembly in 2012 (A/67/289); and a consultation in Geneva “Taking Stock of Internal Displacement: Twenty Years On” (28–29 November 2012). The Special Rapporteur further convened a workshop (18 September 2012) in Geneva to hold consultations with experts from numerous human rights, humanitarian and development bodies and civil society organizations with specific expertise in the field of displacement and protection of the human rights of women. The discussions of the workshop informed the present thematic report. B. Cooperation with regional and international organizations 6. The Special Rapporteur is pleased to report on his ongoing collaboration with regional and international organizations, such as African regional organizations and mechanisms, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Amongst others, he engaged closely with regional organizations in Africa for the promotion, ratification and implementation at the national level of the 2009 Kampala Convention. To this end, he participated in the 126th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (31 March–5 April 2012), in Kampala. He is pleased to note that this first legally binding regional instrument, which represents the culmination of over two decades of work involving Governments, civil society and the international community to address the plight of millions of IDPs, came into force on 6 December 2012. 7. Furthermore, the Special Rapporteur addressed the Human Dimension Committee of OSCE in Vienna on 4 September 2012 with a view to raising awareness of the mandate’s work and the critical connections between durable solutions to internal displacement situations and national and regional security in the OSCE area. In that same context, he participated in a workshop in Vienna on “Natural Disasters and Displacement” (5 September 2012). He also participated in a panel discussion on displacement induced by natural disasters (20 July 2012), organized by IOM in New York. Moreover, he briefed the Humanitarian Liaison Working Group on his mandate priorities and country visits (24 October 2012). 8. The Special Rapporteur has maintained a strong partnership with civil society organizations (CSOs) in Geneva, New York and the field. In particular, he wishes to express his appreciation for the support provided to his mandate through the BrookingsLSE Project on Internal Displacement and for the cooperation with the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre on various issues of mutual interest. He also entered into a collaboration agreement to formalize and strengthen the existing cooperation with Joint IDP Profiling Service (JIPS). In the field, CSOs have played a vital role in supporting the mandate by sharing information, articulating the human rights impact of internal displacement in different contexts and acting as a liaison with displaced communities, especially during country visits. 9. From 18 to 23 June 2012, the Special Rapporteur participated in the eighth Annual Course on the Law of Internal Displacement, in San Remo, Italy, co-organized by Brookings-LSE Project, the International Institute of Humanitarian Law, UNHCR and OHCHR. The course included 18 Government officials working on internal displacement from 14 displacement-affected countries. He is also pleased to announce that a new weeklong, annual San Remo Seminar on International Law and Legal Protection in Natural Disasters, intended for practitioners and lawmakers, was launched in December 2012. 10. The Special Rapporteur also participated in numerous other forums and events on internal displacement organized by CSOs and other actors, including: “The Role of Women 4