A/HRC/28/41 increased, and he was advocating for civil society, including as partners of Governments. With regard to the budget, the President informed participants that he had addressed the issue of the increasing number of mandates without commensurate resources during his discussions with senior officials of the United Nations Secretariat. 86. During the discussion, mandate holders advocated for their greater participation in sessions of the Council, including during the universal periodic review, special sessions and panel discussions. The issue of reporting on country visits outside of the annual interactive dialogue with the Council was raised. 5. Member States 87. In their meeting with representatives of Member States, mandate holders raised issues relating to, inter alia, the limited regular budget allocations to special procedures; State cooperation with special procedures, particularly for country visits; follow-up to and implementation of the recommendations of special procedures; reprisals against those who cooperate with the United Nations; the Human Rights Up Front initiative; compliance with the Code of Conduct; and cooperation with regional mechanisms. 88. Mandate holders also expressed concern at the increase in reprisals against individuals associated with country visits, and requested a more formal response from the Human Rights Council condemning such actions. 89. The representatives of a number of Member States took the floor to inform participants about their experience with the special procedures, including the steps taken to follow up on their recommendations following country visits. It was recalled that Member States ultimately decided on the opportunity of visits on the basis of their own needs. A number of States also referred to the importance of the timing of visits, which should be organized whenever a need is expressed at the national level. This would enable national actors to benefit in a timely manner from the expertise provided by the mandate holder and also facilitate follow-up activities. 90. Mandate holders referred to the importance of finalizing country reports shortly after their visit, and requested flexibility to permit rapid visits to countries when the human rights situation was deteriorating. The need for more follow-up visits was noted by mandate holders, who suggested looking at ways to institutionalize the practice. 6. Civil society and non-governmental organizations 91. In their meeting with representatives of civil society, mandate holders highlighted the need for integrated follow-up strategies at both the national and international levels. They recalled the important role that they played in developing the capacity of local organizations to disseminate and monitor the implementation of the recommendations made by special procedures. They also referred to the importance of protecting and strengthening the participation of civil society organizations in United Nations forums. 92. The civil society representatives expressed gratitude for the commitment of mandate holders to cases of reprisal and the protection of human rights defenders. They requested mandate holders to examine discrimination on the basis of sex, gender, caste and descent; the right to privacy; the impact of extractive industries on the rights of indigenous peoples; and the sustainable development goals. They also expressed the view that the Coordination Committee should play a role in the selection and appointment of new mandate holders. 93. Participants in the meeting acknowledged that civil society greatly contributed to the work undertaken by all mandate holders. It was agreed that dialogue and consultations with civil society organizations should continue on a regular basis. 17