A/HRC/30/60 VI. Technical assistance and capacity-building 60. The establishment of the National Commission for Human Rights, the Advisory Council for Human Rights and other governmental human rights bodies, such as the Human Rights Committee of the National Assembly, the Unit to Combat Violence against Women and Children, the National Council for Child Welfare, the Family and Child Protection Unit of the police force, the Darfur Regional Authority, the Special Court for Darfur Crimes and others ministerial units or commissions is a sign of institutional progress in the field of human rights in the Sudan. The Independent Expert takes notes their establishment with satisfaction, and encourages the Government to provide further support for their independence and financial autonomy, in particular of the National Commission for Human Rights. 61. Despite the fact that administrative control over some of the above-mentioned bodies and mechanisms could appear to be excessive, it remains necessary to continue to strengthen and work with them. Local civil society organizations also have their role to play, and need to be strengthened as well so as to make meaningful progress in the improvement of human rights in the Sudan. 62. There is, to a large extent, some level of consensus among stakeholders of the need for capacity-building in the form of relevant human rights training for members of these mechanisms, as well as of the judiciary, the police, the National Security Service and nongovernmental human rights organizations. The need for public awareness and human rights empowerment initiatives were also identified. Technical assistance and capacity-building initiatives are, however, capital-intensive and require high levels of funding, which must be sourced both internally from the Government itself and externally from different cooperating partners within the donor community and institutions. 63. In his meetings with UNAMID, United Nations agencies and members of the diplomatic corps, the Independent Expert was informed of a number of ongoing support and technical assistance programmes for the Sudan in the field of human rights. He urges other donor countries and the international community to provide the necessary technical and financial support to the Sudan in the field of human rights. 64. During the period under review, international partners, in particular UNAMID, the United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations Children’s Fund, provided various forms of technical assistance and capacity-building to government institutions and civil society, as a contribution to improving the human rights situation in the country. Mention should also be made of the training of national partners on child rights and child protection, and of the training of prosecutors, including the Special Prosecutor for Crimes in Darfur, the training of 400 community police volunteers and English lessons for more than 3,000 internally displaced persons. 65. Furthermore, the Independent Expert was also pleased to observe the support provided by international partners, including the United Nations country team and UNAMID, to the Ministry of Justice to help to implement the universal periodic review recommendations, in particular those related to the rights of women and children, and the technical assistance given to the Advisory Council for Human Rights in relation to the preparation of the national report for the second cycle of the universal period review. Technical assistance has also been provided to the National Commission for Human Rights, in particular in the preparation of its strategic plan and the establishment of its branch in Darfur. He welcomes the efforts being made by UNAMID and the United Nations country team to strengthen the capacity of civil society, including all efforts aimed at building rule of law institutions through legislative reforms and legal aid. 13