A/HRC/26/38 45. The Commission extended the mandate for an additional three years in its resolution 1997/44, recalling the provisions of resolution 1994/45, and requesting all Governments to respond to the Special Rapporteur’s visits and communications. The Commission also encouraged the Special Rapporteur to examine and compile information relating to the issue of trafficking of women and girls. 46. In April 2000, the mandate was extended for a third time in Commission on Human Rights resolution 2000/45, in which the Commission recalled previous resolutions and referred to States’ due diligence obligations. Incorporating the language of the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women in the resolution, the Commission emphasized the duty of Governments to refrain from engaging in violence against women and to exercise due diligence to prevent, investigate and, in accordance with national legislation, punish acts of violence against women, and to take appropriate and effective action concerning acts of violence against women, whether those acts were perpetrated by the State, by private persons or by armed groups or warring factions, and to provide access to just and effective remedies and specialized assistance to victims. 47. The mandate was renewed in 2003 in Commission on Human Rights resolution 2003/45, in which the Commission urged States to consider the recommendations of the Special Rapporteur when formulating policies and programmes and to integrate a gender perspective into commissions of inquiry and commissions for achieving truth and reconciliation, and invited the Special Rapporteur to report, as appropriate, on those mechanisms. The Commission also encouraged the Special Rapporteur to continue to cooperate with regional intergovernmental organizations. 48. In 2007, the mandate of the Special Rapporteur was renewed by the Human Rights Council in its resolution 7/24, in which the Council welcomed the initiatives, the increasing efforts and the important contributions at the local, national, regional and international levels to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls, and encouraged, as a contribution to the effective implementation of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur, the continued efforts of States, United Nations bodies and entities and other relevant stakeholders, to build upon and support, including through the allocation of adequate resources, these successful initiatives, and to support and participate in regional consultations in that area. In this resolution, the Council requested the Secretary-General to ensure that the reports of the Special Rapporteur were brought to the attention of the General Assembly, and that the Special Rapporteur present an oral report annually to CSW and the Assembly. 49. The Human Rights Council renewed the mandate for the sixth time in 2011 in its resolution 16/7 and invited relevant entities to give consideration to the prevention and elimination of all forms of violence against women and girls in their respective work, and to cooperate with and assist the Special Rapporteur in the fulfilment of the mandate. The Council requested the Secretary-General and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to continue to provide the Special Rapporteur with all assistance necessary for the effective fulfilment of the mandate, in particular staff and resources. 50. Most recently, the mandate was renewed in 2013 in Human Rights Council resolution 23/25, which focused more extensively on the issue of sexual violence in conflict situations. 51. In the discharge of the mandate, the Special Rapporteur is required to prepare annual thematic reports and reports on country visits. At the initiative of the previous Special 13