A/HRC/7/37 page 8 Secretary-General; should have a full-time rather than part-time position, at the rank of Under-Secretary-General rather than Assistant Secretary-General; and should receive adequate resources. The Committee is expected to meet again in the third quarter of 2008. III. MANDATE AND ACTIVITIES OF THE SPECIAL ADVISER ON THE PREVENTION OF GENOCIDE AND MASS ATROCITIES A. Responsibilities and methodology: challenges and opportunities 16. In his letter to the President of the Security Council dated 12 July 2004 (S/2004/567), the Secretary-General listed the responsibilities of the Special Adviser as follows: (a) To collect existing information, in particular from within the United Nations system, on massive and serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law of ethnic and racial origin that, if not prevented or halted, might lead to genocide; (b) To act as a mechanism of early warning to the Secretary-General, and through him to the Council, by bringing to their attention situations that could potentially result in genocide; (c) To make recommendations to the Council, through the Secretary-General, on actions to prevent or halt genocide; (d) To liaise with the United Nations system on activities for the prevention of genocide and work to enhance the United Nations capacity to analyse and manage information regarding genocide or related crimes. 17. While the methodology of the Special Adviser must be based on these responsibilities, it must also be designed to respond to conditions on the ground. With the experience acquired in the first three years of the mandate of the Special Adviser, and taking into consideration the 2005 World Summit Outcome and the ongoing nature of United Nations reform, the Special Adviser is in the process of developing his strategy and methodology to identify and address existing gaps and utilize opportunities in the United Nations method of response to specific country situations. The Special Adviser has also engaged in a process of informal consultation with United Nations agencies, departments, Member States and civil society organizations. B. Update on the activities of the Special Adviser 1. Initial focus 18. During his initial years of activity, the Special Adviser found that the prevention of genocide seemed predicated on acting comprehensively in four interrelated areas: (a) the protection of populations at risk against serious or massive violations of human rights or humanitarian law; (b) the establishment of accountability for violations of human rights and humanitarian law; (c) the provision of humanitarian relief and access to basic economic, social and cultural rights; and (d) the initiation and support of steps to address underlying causes of conflict through peace agreements and transitional processes (E/CN.4/2006/84, para. 9).