A/HRC/4/87 page 3 I. INTRODUCTION 1. In its resolution 2005/70, the Commission on Human Rights requested the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to submit, in consultation with other parts of the United Nations system, civil society and other stakeholders, a study on human rights and transitional justice activities undertaken by the human rights components of the United Nations that would include an analysis of the work accomplished, a compilation of lessons learned and best practices as well as conclusions and recommendations, with a view to assisting countries in the context of transitional justice (para. 4). This study was submitted to the Commission on Human Rights as document E/CN.4/2006/93 and, inter alia, indicated that future reports would include a compilation of lessons learned and best practices. 2. The present report is submitted pursuant to Human Rights Council decision 2/102 of 6 October 2006, requesting the High Commissioner for Human Rights to “continue with the fulfilment of her activities, in accordance with all previous decisions adopted by the Commission on Human Rights and to update the relevant reports and studies”. The present report outlines the progress achieved by OHCHR in the development of lessons learned and best practices since the last report to the Commission on Human Rights (E/CN.4/2006/93). II. TRANSITIONAL JUSTICE A. Concepts, frameworks and coordination 3. In his report to the Security Council on the rule of law and transitional justice in conflict and post-conflict societies, the Secretary-General defined the concept of transitional justice as comprising “the full range of processes and mechanisms associated with a society’s attempts to come to terms with the legacy of large-scale past abuses, in order to ensure accountability, serve justice and achieve reconciliation” (S/2004/616, para. 8). According to this definition, such processes and mechanisms include prosecutions, reparations, truth-seeking, institutional reform, vetting and dismissals. In addition, the report emphasized that in the context of transitional justice strategies must be “holistic, incorporating integrated attention to individual prosecutions, reparations, truth-seeking, institutional reform, vetting and dismissals, or an appropriately conceived combination thereof” (ibid., para. 26). 4. At the country level, United Nations expertise on transitional justice issues can be found within OHCHR field presences, and human rights and rule of law components of peacekeeping missions. While most transitional justice-related issues are within the domain of the human rights component of peacekeeping missions, rule of law components also have much to offer in the context of judicial reform issues. Elsewhere, other United Nations agencies, funds and programmes also engage in transitional justice-related activities. While OHCHR has the leading