A/HRC/16/2 3. Decides to extend the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment for a further period of three years: (a) To seek, receive, examine and act on information from Governments, intergovernmental and civil society organizations, individuals and groups of individuals regarding issues and alleged cases concerning torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; (b) To conduct country visits with the consent or at the invitation of Governments; (c) To study, in a comprehensive manner, trends, developments and challenges in relation to combating and preventing torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, and to make recommendations and observations concerning appropriate measures to prevent and eradicate such practices; (d) To identify, exchange and promote best practices on measures to prevent, punish and eradicate torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; (e) To integrate a gender perspective throughout the work of his or her mandate; (f) To continue to cooperate with the Committee against Torture, the Subcommittee for the Prevention of Torture and relevant United Nations mechanisms and bodies and, as appropriate, regional organizations and mechanisms, national human rights institutions, national preventive mechanisms and civil society, including non-governmental organizations; (g) To report on all of his or her activities, observations, conclusions and recommendations to the Human Rights Council, in accordance with its programme of work, and annually on the overall trends and developments with regard to his or her mandate to the General Assembly, with a view to maximizing benefits of the reporting process; 4. Takes note with appreciation of the report of the Special Rapporteur28 and his victim-oriented approach; 5. Emphasizes that acts of torture are serious violations of international human rights law and humanitarian law and can constitute crimes against humanity and, when committed in a situation of armed conflict, war crimes, and that the perpetrators thereof are liable to prosecution and punishment; 6. Urges States: (a) To cooperate with and assist the Special Rapporteur in the performance of his or her task, to supply all necessary information requested by him or her and to fully and expeditiously respond to his or her urgent appeals, and urges those Governments that have not yet responded to communications transmitted to them by the Special Rapporteur to answer without further delay; (b) To give serious consideration to responding favourably to the Special Rapporteur’s requests to visit their countries, and to enter into a constructive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on requested visits to their countries; (c) To ensure, as an important element in the prevention and combat of torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment, that no authority or official orders, applies, permits or tolerates any sanction or other prejudice against any 28 GE.11-17059 A/HRC/16/52. 53