A/HRC/10/25 page 13 (E/CN.4/1994/7/Add.1, para. 79). He added that the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide might therefore be considered to apply to those cases. Five weeks before the genocide, the Special Rapporteur presented his country report to the Commission on Human Rights and flagged that the situation in that country had worsened. 48. While massive violations of civil and political rights have most often been associated with early warning signs of possible escalation to mass atrocities, crimes against humanity and even genocide, it is important to acknowledge that patterns of gross violations of economic, social and cultural rights can also be an early warning of situations that can potentially lead to genocide. Mandate-holders have noted that severe and unjustified restrictions on humanitarian assistance (including the delivery of food aid) to certain groups, including in conflict situations, can constitute, or lead to, mass atrocities or crimes against humanity. For example, the Special Rapporteur on the right to food noted that deliberate policies and action resulting in mass starvation of specific groups have in some cases been a feature of crises that led to genocide or came perilously close to it. 49. Special procedures mandate-holders have noted that, subsequent to the shortcomings in earlier attempts to prevent genocide, the appointment of the Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide in 2004, the convening of the 2005 World Summit and the emergence of the “responsibility to protect” doctrine rightly put emphasis on strategies for prompt action in response to early warning signs. 50. With regard to the prevention of genocide the mandate-holders recommend that: (a) Effective channels of communication between different parts of the United Nations system be consolidated. In order to strengthen the collective response in preventing genocide, it is essential to ensure that early warning signals reach the political and conflict-prevention bodies of the Organization, such as the Security Council, the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the Department of Political Affairs, including its Mediation Support Unit. This would allow decision-makers at the highest levels to take action with full knowledge of the facts on the ground. In this regard, one of the communication channels that special procedures could use more systemically is the Office of the Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, particularly in view of his mandate and regular interaction with the Secretary-General and the Security Council; (b) Member States have the main responsibility to facilitate the work of, and cooperate with, special procedures in order to prevent crimes against humanity and genocide. As such, Member States should ensure that mandate-holders have unfettered access to regions and countries affected by ongoing tensions that could result in widespread crimes against humanity or genocide. When devising specific ad hoc mandates to address crisis situations, Member States should ensure that the terms of reference of the mandates are comprehensive and adequate and that requests for visits by mandate-holders are satisfied. For instance, in several cases, special procedures have been provided with mandates restricted to assisting specific countries in order to identify technical cooperation needs in the area of human rights rather than with a full-fledged monitoring and reporting mandate. While technical cooperation is without a doubt of crucial