A/HRC/32/51 convincingly demonstrating that, with a well-staffed OHCHR presence, the chances for long-lasting results and impact were considerably higher. Understanding the realities on the ground and having the possibility of closely analysing the needs and how best to address them jointly with all partners were part of a continuum that could not be artificially separated. B. Forty-second session (Ukraine) 15. In accordance with the Board’s practice of holding one of its two meetings each year in a State where OHCHR has a field presence, the second part of the forty-second session was held in Kyiv. The main purpose of the visit, as in the case of previous visits to the field, was to continue to gather in situ observations of the role and added value of OHCHR on the ground and to increase its understanding of the type of technical cooperation that OHCHR provides, and to give relevant guidance. 16. The Board’s visit to the Human Rights Mission in Ukraine, its first to this type of OHCHR field presence, provided the Board with an excellent opportunity to observe in situ how the Office had been able to respond swiftly to the crisis that unfolded in February and March 2014 and to deploy a mission in a very complex situation. OHCHR had the advantage of already having a presence there, with expertise and experience, through the deployment of a human rights adviser to the United Nations country team since 2011 supported by the Fund. The visit also offered the Board the possibility to observe the contributions made by the Human Rights Adviser and to gain an insight into the relevance of such a presence in the preparation and subsequent deployment of the Mission. The startup financing from the Secretary-General’s contingency fund and the engagement of OHCHR senior management were critical to the rapid response. 17. The Board discussed with the staff in the Mission, different national authorities, the Ombudsman’s Office, United Nations partners, regional organizations and civil society how OHCHR had managed to establish the Mission in early 2014 and had immediately commenced its extensive monitoring work. From the outset, it had been a key partner in the country. The support and visits, constant engagement and advocacy by the Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights were found to be critical at all levels. The discussions with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, the Ombudsman’s Office, the Resident Coordinator and the United Nations country team, and with civil society organizations, all confirmed this. The Board recognized the positive impact of close and regular support at the highest levels of OHCHR on field presences. 18. All the Mission’s partners also noted that, over the past two years, the Mission had developed a remarkable capacity to strike an effective and appropriate balance between the situations on both sides of the contact line, monitoring and reporting on the human rights situation, challenges and violations in both areas with a totally impartial and transparent approach and a strategic use of “protection by presence”. The results of the intensive monitoring work combined with the unique technical capacity of the staff were used strategically by all partners to undertake their own endeavours, including the design of strategic technical support on the ground. This is the essence of the type of technical cooperation that OHCHR can offer and is best placed to offer, as the Board noted in all its visits and reported to the Human Rights Council. Human rights monitoring and technical cooperation and advisory services need to be understood as part of a continuum by which evidence-based information on the situation and the challenges on the ground are carefully studied and analysed to advise all interested partners on the extensive variety of tools and support available to jointly design the best course of action. This natural progression of work was recognized and appreciated by all the partners that the Board met. While this was 6