A/HRC/28/3 associated terrorist groups. The Council, in its resolution 26/30, also invited the High Commissioner to report on the situation of human rights in Ukraine. 23. In March 2014, the Human Rights Council, in its resolution 25/25, on the basis of the final report of the commission of inquiry to investigate the systematic, widespread and grave human rights violations committed in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, 2 requested OHCHR to set up a field-based structure to follow up on the work of the commission. 24. OHCHR organized an increasing number of panel discussions on a broad array of issues – thereby significantly enriching the deliberations of the Human Rights Council – such as the death penalty, civil society space, the safety of journalists, female genital mutilation, child, early and forced marriage, violence against children, the history teaching and memorialization processes, persons deprived of their liberty, the right to privacy in the digital age, the protection of the family and its members, the role of prevention, use of remotely piloted aircraft or armed drones, commemorating the sixty-fifth anniversary of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, preventive approaches within the United Nations system, and mainstreaming the human rights of migrants. A large number of substantive reports by Office of the High Commissioner and special procedures mandate holders were prepared to inform the panel discussions. 25. The Office also organized country-related panel discussions at the request of the Human Rights Council, including on lessons learned and continuing challenges in combating sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and on the situation of human rights in South Sudan. 26. The Trust Fund to Support the Participation of Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States in the work of the Human Rights Council and its mechanisms became operational in January, enabling OHCHR to cover the participation of six Government officials, to install two fellowships for State representatives and to organize two interregional seminars to facilitate participation. 4. Universal periodic review 27. In November 2014, the universal periodic review reached the middle of its second cycle. All 112 States scheduled for consideration had participated, most at a high level. Aiming to foster effective implementation, the reviews focused on progress made since the first cycle. The challenge is to follow up on the growing number of recommendations and keeping the overall objective of bringing about impact on the ground. 28. The Office prepared documentation to inform review debates and to support States under review. The Trust Fund to facilitate the participation of States in the sessions of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review funded 16 delegates, and OHCHR organized bilateral and cross-regional sessions, including in partnership with the International Organization of la Francophonie and the Inter-Parliamentary Union, to strengthen engagement, including of parliamentarians. Requests for OHCHR support from all regions grew steadily, which were addressed through the Voluntary Fund for Financial and Technical Assistance. The Office assisted States in building their capacity in a variety of areas to allow follow-up, placing emphasis on support for inter-institutional structures, the elaboration of implementation plans and the establishment of tracking systems to monitor implementation. 2 6 A/HRC/25/63.

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