A/HRC/4/96 page 2 Summary The present report is submitted pursuant to Human Rights Council decision 2/102 in which the Council requested the High Commissioner for Human Rights to “continue with the fulfilment of her activities, in accordance with all previous decisions adopted by the Commission on Human Rights and to update the relevant reports and studies”. On the current issue regarding assistance to Sierra Leone in the field of human rights, a comprehensive annual report (E/CN.4/2006/106) was submitted to the sixty-second session of the Commission on Human Rights pursuant to resolution 2005/76. The information in the report remains relevant. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights understands decision 2/102 to preserve the previous annual reporting cycle in respect of this issue until otherwise decided by the Council. The report accordingly addresses developments regarding the assistance to Sierra Leone in the field of human rights over the last year. Sierra Leone continues to enjoy relative peace and political stability even after the termination of the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) on 31 December 2005. Building on the foundation laid by UNAMSIL and working in close collaboration with the United Nations Country Team and international partners, the United Nations Integrated Office in Sierra Leone (UNIOSIL), established pursuant to Security Council resolution 1620 (2005), has played a major supportive and catalytic role in the consolidation of peace in Sierra Leone. As reported previously, further considerable progress has been achieved in the area of civil and political rights. Preparations for the 2007 general and presidential elections got under way with the constitution of a National Elections Commission and the establishment of the Political Parties Registration Commission (PPRC). By the end of 2006, there were 28 registered political parties in Sierra Leone operating with considerable level of political tolerance, albeit some isolated incidents. However, the justice system remains weak and requires considerable support and intervention to address perennial problems such as lack of access to justice and significant delays in trials. Furthermore, due in part to the poor performance of the economy, high levels of poverty and illiteracy, there has been no significant improvement in the area of economic and social rights. Sierra Leone has been selected as one of the first countries to benefit from the newly established United Nations Peacebuilding Commission (PBC). The Government, in collaboration with the United Nations, identified four priority areas for support: (a) youth empowerment and employment; (b) strengthening governance; (c) justice and security sector reform; and (d) capacity-building and public service delivery. A National Human Rights Commission has been established following sustained advocacy and technical support from the United Nations. The report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) was disseminated nationwide and awareness-raising activities on its findings and recommendations have been conducted in all 149 chiefdoms of the country. Notwithstanding progress, the implementation of the recommendations has been very slow.