A/HRC/7/68 page 3 I. INTRODUCTION 1. This is my second report to the Human Rights Council, the first having been submitted in January 2007 (A/HRC/4/97). It contains an analysis of the human rights situation in Nepal since then and reports on the activities of my Office in the country. Political developments which have had an impact on human rights are examined with a focus on issues critical to the peace process, including discrimination and representation of marginalized groups, democratic rights and the question of impunity. II. MANDATE AND ACTIVITIES OF THE OFFICE OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS IN NEPAL 2. I am pleased to report that the agreement of 10 April 2005 between the Government of Nepal and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) was renewed for two years until June 2007, maintaining the comprehensiveness of its mandate. The Office undertook monitoring and capacity-building activities, with such work being increasingly interwoven to ensure relevance to local realities and to strengthen impact. These activities were also linked to technical assistance to the Government through detailed analyses of legislation and other official rights-related documents, as well as letters, reports and meetings on case- or thematic-related issues. In 2008, the Office’s work will be increasingly reoriented towards building national capacity and technical assistance, focusing on four core themes: discrimination, impunity, democratic rights (including human rights and the elections) and security/rule of law. 3. With some exceptions, the Office enjoyed the cooperation of the authorities and the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) (CPN(M)) in terms of meetings and access to places of detention or captivity. However, it is concerned that many of its recommendations have not been implemented, especially at the national level. The Office also faced some difficulties in gaining access to documentation, especially draft legislation and reports of investigations, with authorities arguing that only public documentation could be provided, contrary to provisions of the agreement with OHCHR. 4. Since the establishment of the United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) in January 2007 pursuant to Security Council resolution 1740 (2007), OHCHR has been coordinating closely with the Mission to ensure complementary - and where appropriate joint - activities on issues of mutual concern, as well as regular exchanges of information. The Office collaborated with United Nations agencies, in particular the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and child protection agencies on the implementation of Security Council resolution 1612 (2005) on children and armed conflict, with the United Nations Population Fund and the United Nations Development Fund for Women on gender issues such as the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000), and with the United Nations Development Programme, particularly with regard to the National Human Rights Commission.