A/HRC/29/48 mechanisms in the area of justice system reform, prison reform, implementation of the Convention against Torture and the Optional Protocol thereto, land rights and the right to housing. The situation of human rights defenders and the critical importance of keeping the space open for civil society actors in order to continue to support the State’s efforts in the area of human rights were also a main area of discussions with relevant stakeholders. Particularly important for the Board was the good cooperation between the Office and the Ministry of the Interior. The Office had been able to use its convening capacity to promote dialogue and understanding on crucial current issues, including those related to access to land and the exploitation of natural resources. 19. In its discussions with representatives of the Ministry of Justice, the Board was able also to understand the progress made in strengthening the justice system in the country. One of the issues discussed with both the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Justice was that of prison overcrowding, something the Board had witnessed during its visit to Correctional Centre 1. The Board was of the view that, in order to build on the achievements made to date by the ongoing technical cooperation programmes in the area of prison reform, the State could request further support from the Office, in particular on issues requiring joint action by both ministries to respond effectively to the important concerns regarding overcrowding and the large number of persons in pretrial detention. The visit to the Kampong Speu Court, which was built and operated with the support of OHCHR and the United Nations Development Programme, had given the Board the chance to observe both progress made and the challenges remaining in the area of justice reform. The Board had also observed the result of the technical cooperation efforts made in the formulation and implementation of the new Code of Criminal Procedure, including the participation of all judges and prosecutors in round-table and panel discussions across the country in order to identify challenges and possible solutions. The Board had appreciated the enormous efforts made to completely rebuild the court system in Cambodia, but remained concerned that there was still a critical need for support in order to allow the system to become fully operational. This was all the more urgent given that the Board was informed by State officials that resources were becoming extremely limited. 20. The Board had held discussions with the Cambodia Human Rights Committee on the technical support provided by OHCHR and other United Nations partners in a number of legislative processes. Concerns with regard to both the current difficulties encountered by civil society and the potential impact that proposed legislation might have on the space for civil society organizations to operate were discussed. The Board very much hoped that any initiative planned in this direction would fully take into account existing international standards and good practices around the world. Maintaining this space was essential for civil society to continue to carry out its crucial role in national development. 21. In both Phnom Penh and Bangkok, the Board held discussions with civil society representatives, at both the country and regional levels, on the increasingly restricted contexts in which they worked, the efforts of the Office to protect and increase civil society space, and the technical support received from the Office to strengthen capacities to better engage with human rights mechanisms. Other issues discussed included concerns relating to human rights defenders, the promotion of freedom of expression and assembly, and participation in national policy processes. The Board was also briefed about human rights issues relating to land and the environment, migration and the fight against human trafficking. 22. During meetings with the Board, representatives of the United Nations agencies and programmes in Phnom Penh and Bangkok confirmed the critical guiding role that OHCHR played in supporting the integration of recommendations made by international human rights mechanisms, including the special procedures, treaty bodies and the universal periodic review, into United Nations programme tools on the ground, including the United 7