A/HRC/7/28 page 10 developments. In the latter, the Special Representative sends follow-up communications. On average, the Special Representative receives further information from sources in 38 per cent of communications, with no significant change from one year to the other, with the exception of 2007, when understandably less follow-up information was received as the cases are recent. 25. Sources that submit the larger number of cases are also those submitting further information in higher percentages. This is probably due both to resources and to a better understanding of the mechanism. When further information was received from the source, the Special Representative sent a follow-up communication in about half of the cases. This means that sources submitting further information more often have more chances to have their case followed up on by another communication of the Special Representative.5 26. The regional breakdown indicates that sources submitted further information in higher proportions for cases in the North Africa and Middle East region (50 per cent), followed by Africa and Asia and the Pacific (42 per cent), Europe, North America and Central Asia (39 per cent) and Latin America (25 per cent). 27. Nineteen per cent of the communications sent by the Special Representative are follow-up communications.6 There has been a considerable increase of follow-up cases between 2004 (12 per cent) and 2006 (26 per cent), with 16 per cent in 2007. Regions with a higher percentage of further information submitted had more follow-up cases (26 per cent in North Africa and the Middle East and only 12 per cent in Latin America). Follow up communications Further information submitted by the sources 400 400 350 350 300 300 250 250 Communications 200 200 150 Further information from source 100 50 Communications 150 Follow up communications 100 50 0 2004 2005 2006 2007 0 2004 2005 2006 2007 5 It should be noted that not all the subsequent information submitted by the source calls for a follow-up communication by the Special Representative, especially when the developments reported are positive. 6 By “follow-up communication” is meant a communication which explicitly refers to one or more previous communications.