A/HRC/36/39 V. Conclusions and recommendations 112. The Working Group is seriously concerned that the number of enforced disappearances continues to be unacceptably high worldwide. A demonstration of this sad reality is the fact that, during the reporting period, the Working Group transmitted 1,094 newly reported cases of disappearance to 36 States. It used the urgent action procedure in 260 of those cases, which allegedly occurred within the three months preceding the receipt of the report by the Working Group. 113. In spite of the large number of cases, underreporting remains a major problem. More assistance should be provided to family members and members of civil society to enable them to report cases to the Working Group and, more importantly, to keep working on enforced disappearance issues. 114. The Working Group cannot discharge its mandate without the cooperation of States, particularly in providing information to the families about the fate or whereabouts of disappeared persons. In that respect, the Working Group welcomes the fact that a high number of States continued cooperating with it by providing regular and substantive replies. Other States considerably improved the quality of their replies by including more detailed and pertinent information. At the same time, the Working Group remains concerned that many States have never replied to the Working Group or have provided responses that do not contain any relevant information or are of a formal and/or procedural nature only, de facto refusing to cooperate. The Working Group urges all States to fulfil their obligations under the Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly and the Human Rights Council to properly investigate cases of enforced disappearances and to cooperate with the Working Group. 115. During the reporting period, the Working Group continued to observe a pattern of “short-term” enforced disappearances being used in a number of countries. The Working Group expresses its deep concern at the phenomenon. It stresses that no enforced disappearance is acceptable, no matter how short its duration, and that accurate information on the detention of any person deprived of his or her liberty and the place of detention should be made available promptly to family members. 116. The Working Group is concerned about the situation in a number of countries, as reflected in the present report. It reiterates article 7 of the Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, which provides that no circumstances whatsoever, whether a threat of war, a state of war, internal political instability or any other public emergency, may be invoked to justify enforced disappearances. 117. The Working Group continues to be concerned about the increase in instances of abductions carried out by non-State actors, which may be tantamount of acts of enforced disappearance. The Working Group held an expert meeting in February 2016 to discuss that issue and will continue to study whether those situations fall under its mandate and, if so, what actions should be taken. The Working Group calls on all stakeholders to take appropriate measures and to provide information to, and share their views on this matter with, the Working Group. 118. The Working Group continues to note a pattern of threats, intimidation and reprisals against victims of enforced disappearance, including family members, witnesses and human rights defenders working on such cases. It calls upon States to take specific measures to prevent such acts, protect those working on cases of enforced disappearances and punish the perpetrators, in accordance with article 13 (1) and (3) of the Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. In that respect, the Working Group welcomes the appointment by the SecretaryGeneral, in October 2016, of the new Head of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in New York at the level of Assistant SecretaryGeneral. This senior official will lead efforts within the United Nations system to 24