A/HRC/39/46 I. Introduction 1. The Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances was the first United Nations human rights thematic mechanism to be established with a universal mandate, by the Commission on Human Rights resolution 20 (XXXVI). The mandate was most recently extended by the Human Rights Council in its resolution 36/6. 2. The primary task of the Working Group is to assist families in determining the fate or whereabouts of their family members who are reportedly disappeared. In that humanitarian capacity, the Working Group serves as a channel of communication between family members of victims of enforced disappearance and other sources reporting cases of disappearances, and the Governments concerned. 3. Following the adoption of the Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (General Assembly resolution 47/133), the Working Group was entrusted with monitoring the progress of States in fulfilling their obligations derived from the Declaration. The Human Rights Council, in its resolution 7/12, encouraged the Working Group to provide assistance in the implementation by States of the Declaration and of existing international rules. 4. The present report contains information on the activities of and communications and cases examined by the Working Group from 18 May 2017 to 2 May 2018. A summary of the decisions on individual cases taken by the Working Group and communications transmitted to the States concerned during the reporting period is presented in section III. 5. Since its inception, the Working Group has transmitted a total of 57,149 cases to 108 States. The number of cases under active consideration that have not yet been clarified, closed or discontinued stands at 45,499 in a total of 92 States. During the reporting period, 404 cases were clarified. II. Activities of the Working Group from 18 May 2017 to 2 May 2018 A. Activities 6. During the period under review, the Working Group held three sessions: the 113th session, from 11 to 15 September 2017 (A/HRC/WGEID/113/1); the 114th session from 5 to 9 February 2018 (A/HRC/WGEID/114/1); and the 115th session from 23 April to 2 May 2018 (A/HRC/WGEID/115/1). The reports on the sessions should be considered complements to the present report. The 114th session was held in Brussels and the other sessions were held in Geneva. 7. During the 113th session, Bernard Duhaime was appointed Chair-Rapporteur of the Working Group and Tae-Ung Baik as Vice-Chair. 8. On 11 September 2017, former Chair-Rapporteur Houria Es Slami presented the annual report for the period from 19 May 2016 to 17 May 2017, and its addenda, to the Human Rights Council at its thirtieth-sixth session, and participated in the interactive dialogue with States. 9. Between 27 and 30 June 2017, the former Chair-Rapporteur represented the Working Group during the 24th annual meeting of the special procedure mandate holders of the Human Rights Council. 10. On 20 October 2017, the Chair-Rapporteur addressed the General Assembly at its seventy-second session and participated in the interactive dialogue with Member States. 11. The Working Group continues its practice of holding one of its sessions every year outside Geneva. The Working Group held its 114th session in Brussels from 5 to 9 February 2018. The Working Group is grateful to the Government of Belgium for this opportunity. 3