A/HRC/7/68 page 5 members were given by officials trained and monitored by OHCHR and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), focusing especially on human rights standards pertaining to law enforcement and crowd control. B. Human rights and the peace process 11. In my previous report to the Council, I noted that progress had been made in re-establishing democratic rights and in ending conflict-related abuses, but also highlighted challenges which needed to be addressed to end human rights abuses. Protracted political wrangling and delays in implementing the Comprehensive Peace Agreement of November 2006, together with deepening violence and a worsening security situation in the Terai, had a negative impact on the human rights situation in 2007, while human rights should have been at the heart of the process. Despite political progress and legislative reforms, which, if implemented, would have a positive impact, respect for and the protection of human rights have generally diminished compared with the initial significant improvements after the ceasefire in May 2006. 12. The Comprehensive Peace Agreement commits all parties to an extensive range of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights including ending discrimination, arbitrary detention, torture, killings and disappearances. It also mandated OHCHR to monitor the implementation of the human rights provisions and requires parties to collaborate with OHCHR by providing information and implementing recommendations, although this has not frequently been the case. 13. Additionally, a national body has never been established to monitor implementation of the Agreement and other peace agreements, including of human rights provisions, thus preventing effective oversight and enforcement. 14. In December 2007, OHCHR published a report entitled “Human rights in Nepal one year after the Comprehensive Peace Agreement”, in which the implementation of the Agreement and the Government’s international human rights obligations were assessed. Noting that over 130 people1 had been killed since November 2006, more than half as a result of violence by armed groups, others by the security forces, by CPN(M) or in incidents of social unrest, the report concluded, inter alia, that human rights had been subordinated to political considerations in the peace process. The Government, in its comments on the report, questioned the Office’s accuracy and objectivity on certain issues. In particular, it contested the finding that protection of the right to life had diminished and described those on torture and excessive use of force as “baseless”. C. Political developments affecting human rights 15. Since my previous report, there have been significant political developments. The peace process has proven challenging on many levels, including from a human rights perspective. Following the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and the adoption, in January 2007, of an interim Constitution, an interim Legislature-Parliament was formed of 209 members elected 1 More than 45 of those killed were CPN(M) cadres.