A/HRC/44/50 overview of the first decade of the work of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur, by reviewing the origins of the mandate and its key areas of progress. The report also includes an examination of past and emerging challenges, which is followed by an exploration of lessons learned and strategic issues for a future agenda on the promotion and protection of assembly and association rights. The report ends with a list of recommendations. 7. While drafting the present report, the Special Rapporteur benefited from a public process of input and consultations. As of the date of the present report, 8 submissions had been received from Governments, 5 from national human rights institutions and 18 from civil society organizations. Owing to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the Special Rapporteur had to cancel a global civil society consultation scheduled in Sao Paulo, Brazil, as well as other gatherings planned to solicit the input of civil society and States. He instead held online consultations with civil society organizations on 26 and 27 March. On 2 April, he also held a consultation on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the enjoyment of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association and on the work of civil society. The Special Rapporteur is grateful to all those who contributed to that process. None of what is documented in the present report would have been possible without the mandate’s many collaborators: civil society around the world, a core group of governments within the Human Rights Council that helped finance some of the Special Rapporteur’s activities, as well as institutional partners and donors. II. Activities of the Special Rapporteur A. Country visits 8. The Special Rapporteur visited Sri Lanka from 18 to 26 July 2019 (see A/HRC/44/50/Add.1) and Zimbabwe from 17 to 27 September 2019. He thanks both Governments for their cooperation before and during the visits. B. Communications 9. The Special Rapporteur sent a total of 168 communications between 26 April 2019 and 15 April 2020. His observations on communications addressed to States, and the replies received, are contained in an addendum to the present report. C. Participation in various events 10. The Special Rapporteur took part in the following events, among many others: (a) The 172nd session of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights held in Kingston on 8 May 2019; (b) Consultation on the Impact of Restrictions on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association on Sustainable Development, organized by CIVICUS and held in Johannesburg, South Africa, on 30 and 31 May 2019; (c) Participation in RightsCon 2019 held in Tunis from 11 to 14 June 2019; (d) International Labour Organization Academy on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Organization, held in Turin, Italy, on 1 and 2 October 2019; (e) Expert consultation held by the Special Rapporteur in cooperation with the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute on the role of lawyers in protests, held in Geneva on 4 and 5 November 2019; (f) Hearing of the European Parliament on authoritarianism and the shrinking space for freedom of expression, press freedom and human rights defenders, held in Brussels on 18 and 19 February 2020; (g) The sixty-fifth session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights held in Banjul from 21 October to 10 November 2019; 4