A/HRC/10/57 page 9 26. The Office’s priorities for its technical cooperation programme in the region include addressing impunity and weak institutions (access to and administration of justice, and public security); discrimination (particularly against Afro-descendants and indigenous persons); poverty and inequality; and violence (mainly against women and children). 27. In the Middle East and North Africa region, the Office currently has a regional office based in Beirut, which covers the Middle East, and a country office in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The Office also supports the Human Rights Office of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq. The Office is in the process of increasing its field presences in the region, to further the implementation of technical cooperation. 28. In the region, the Office’s priorities are to help Member States implement applicable human rights standards, regularize ratification status and comply with universal periodic review and treaty body reporting obligations. Women’s rights, minority rights and access to justice are all major themes of such work. It also aims at supporting Member States in the development and finalization of their national human rights action plans, and to strengthen the compliance of national human rights institutions with the Paris Principles. 29. Thematic priorities for the region include freedom of expression, association and assembly; the fight against impunity; attending to the need of countries in conflict; and the human rights of non-citizens, namely refugees, stateless persons and migrant workers. VI. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS 30. The Board was briefed on the recent sessions of the Human Rights Council, the functions of its Advisory Committee and the holding of special sessions, with a special focus on the seventh special session on “the negative impact on the realization to the right to food of the worsening of the world food crisis”, which the Board partly observed. The Board encouraged the involvement and contribution of other relevant agencies in theme-based special sessions. While noting that the trend in the elaboration of technical cooperation matters in the Council had yet to be observed, the Board underlined the importance of identifying a mechanism which would ensure that the work of the Council had a real impact on the ground. With regard to the working methods of the Council, the Board took note of the Council review to be completed by 2011. 31. The Board received an update on the progress of the universal periodic review and expressed its satisfaction over the internal process within OHCHR with regard to preparation of relevant documents. The Board learned about several review experiences at the country level, including with regard to disseminating information to local stakeholders, assisting the State under review in consultations on drafting the national report, providing training to States and civil society organizations, and utilizing recommendations to engage the Government and United Nations country teams in the consideration of key human rights issues. The Board was also informed that two trust funds to support the universal periodic review process had been formed; one is used to facilitate the travel of delegations to participate in review sessions, while the other, which is not operational yet, is aimed at providing support to the follow-up of review recommendations. The Board reiterated the importance of follow-up to the universal periodic review, and asked to be kept informed on developments regarding any additional resources for