A/HRC/18/41 43. Participants also exchanged views with Special Rapporteur on Disability of the Commission on Social Development, Shuaib Chalklen, who described his mandate and referred to ongoing cooperation with several thematic and country-specific special procedures. Ways in which to enhance communication with special procedures were discussed, and greater interaction between the Special Rapporteur and mandate holders was recommended. D. Exchange of views with civil society and national human rights institutions 44. Opening the exchange of views with civil society and national human rights institutions, the Chair of the Coordination Committee stressed the fact that mandate holders regarded civil society organizations and national human rights institutions as critical partners in their efforts to promote and protect human rights on the ground. The civil society organizations congratulated the Chair on her election, welcomed the new mandate holders, provided information on their collaboration with special procedures, made specific proposals on how to enhance their effectiveness and encouraged special procedures to dedicate more time to meeting them. It was suggested that enhanced cooperation by States was required, as low response rates to communications and negative responses by States, including those that had issued standing invitations, to visit requests were a matter of concern, as was the lack of resources available to special procedures. The organizations encouraged mandate holders to include information on cooperation with States in their annual reports and specific follow-up activities in their work plans. They also encouraged the Human Rights Council and States to take additional steps to follow up on implementation of recommendations. It was suggested that special procedures should engage strategically in the second cycle of the universal periodic review, including by using the preparation for the review in the country under review to issue invitations for country visits and to conduct follow-up. In relation to treaty bodies, the organizations commended the use by mandate holders of the recommendations made by treaty bodies in their preparation for country missions, and suggested that this should be strengthened. They also suggested that mandate holders should provide input into the development of Council resolutions, particularly those relating to the subject matter of their mandate, and to follow up on the implementation of them. 45. It was noted the space for civil society was shrinking in some countries, but it was positive that the outcome of the Human Rights Council review strongly rejected reprisals against persons who cooperated with human rights mechanisms. Reprisals were regarded as an attack on the integrity of the Council and the special procedures system, and mandate holders had the responsibility to follow up on cases of reprisals proactively, including by informing the President of the Council and the State concerned. The civil society organizations called for enhanced interaction of mandate holders during Council sessions and opportunities to provide input for thematic reports. They also encouraged mandate holders to obtain detailed and updated information from the organizations prior to country visits, and to coordinate their visit planning with each other to achieve more comprehensive coverage. The work of mandate holders on specific areas, such as the fight against torture, was welcomed and further encouraged. In particular, mandate holders were urged to strengthen the mainstreaming of disability issues into their work, including through the incorporation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and to cooperate with disabled persons’ organizations, especially in the preparation of and during visits. The use of language in accordance with that of the Convention and further efforts to make documentation disability-accessible were also encouraged. 46. Mandate holders reiterated that civil society organizations are drivers of change, and encouraged human rights organizations to create coalitions beyond the traditional human rights mainstream for greater impact and change. They noted the challenges to the 13