A/HRC/10/12 page 2 Summary The Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Margaret Sekaggya, presents her first report to the Human Rights Council, submitted pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 7/8. The mandate on the situation of human rights defenders was reviewed by the Human Rights Council at its seventh session in March 2008, and Ms. Sekaggya was appointed as the new Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders. Chapter I of the report gives an account of the activities of the new Special Rapporteur and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General during the reporting year. It draws the attention of member States to the 493 communications that have been sent under the mandate during the past year. More detailed information on these communications is contained in addendum 1 to the present report. Chapter II focuses on the potential of the universal periodic review (UPR) mechanism of the Human Rights Council in enhancing the protection of human rights defenders. It gives an overview of the strategic value of the UPR in reviewing and potentially improving the situation of human rights defenders. It provides an assessment after three rounds of the various stages of the review process, with a view as to how the UPR can potentially contribute to improving the environment in which human rights defenders operate. In Chapter III, the Special Rapporteur outlines her recommendations to the United Nations, States, non-governmental organizations and defenders, regarding the enhancement of the potential of the universal periodic review in improving the situation of human rights defenders.