A/HRC/23/25 perspective into their work15 and one of the mandates was asked to “apply a gender perspective by, inter alia, considering the particular situation of women and girls in identifying gender specific discrimination and vulnerabilities”.16 9. Country-specific resolutions where the issue of sexual and gender-based violence was addressed included resolutions on: the Republic of Guinea, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cambodia, Somalia, the Syrian Arab Republic, Myanmar and a presidential statement on Haiti.17 The resolutions expressed concern regarding the prevalence of sexual and gender-based violence and called for preventive measures, investigation, punishment and redress for victims. 10. The Council held special sessions on the human rights situations in: the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Syria;18 the Occupied Palestinian Territories; Lebanon; Darfur; Côte d’Ivoire; the Democratic Republic of the Congo; Myanmar; and Sri Lanka. One session was devoted to support for the recovery process in Haiti and two thematic special sessions to the world food crisis and the economic and financial crisis. The resolutions resulting from these sessions did not explicitly discuss the issue of violence against women and girls.19 B. Commissions of inquiry/fact-finding missions 11. Since 2009, the Human Rights Council has mandated the establishment of 10 commissions of inquiry/fact-finding missions. Most of the commissions’ terms of reference called on them to investigate alleged violations of human rights and international humanitarian law. The resolutions establishing the commissions of inquiry on Côte d’Ivoire and Libya made specific reference to gender-based violence, including sexual violence. The recommendations of the commissions of inquiry/fact-finding missions have tended to be based on the mandating resolutions,20 therefore issues related to sexual and gender-based violence appear more prominently in the reports and recommendations of commissions of inquiry that are expressly mandated to investigate these crimes. C. The Advisory Committee 12. Since it took its current form, the Advisory Committee has been requested to identify key gaps in standard-setting or emerging areas on eight thematic issues pertaining 15 16 17 18 19 20 Independent Expert in the field of cultural rights (A/HRC/RES/10/23), Independent Expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order (A/HRC/RES/18/6); Special Rapporteur on the right to food (A/HRC/RES/13/4); Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association (A/HRC/RES/15/21); and Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence (A/HRC/RES/18/7) and Working Group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises (A/HRC/RES/17/4). A/HRC/RES/19/10 Independent expert on the issue of human rights obligations relating to the employment of a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment, April 2012. A/HRC/RES/16/36; A/HRC/RES/13/22; A/HRC/RES/15/20; A/HRC/RES/20/21; A/HRC/21/L.32, A/HRC/19/L.30; and A/HRC/PRST/15/1. For Syria, the Council has held four special sessions: April 2011, August 2011, December 2011 and June 2012. http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/Pages/Sessions.aspx. Of the ten, five make reference to women in their overall conclusions and recommendations. Report of the independent, international commission of inquiry on Côte d’Ivoire (A/HRC/17/48). http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/docs/17session/A.HRC.17.48_Extract.pdf 5