A/HRC/39/70 steady funding to enable its staff to concentrate on judicial work. The Expert has taken note of the launch of assistance programmes by the Trust Fund for Victims of the International Criminal Court in the framework of the trial of Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo, and appeals to donors. She also recalled the importance of respecting the independence of the judiciary, legal aid and compensation measures independent of the outcome of judicial decisions. 81. Regarding guarantees of non-recurrence, the main advances concern reform of the security sector. The Independent Expert appreciated the results of the vetting of the national forces, the training and deployment of three battalions of the Central African armed forces and the current training of 500 police officers and gendarmes. The disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and repatriation project has yet to begin. The Expert welcomed the institutional strengthening favourable to human rights engendered by intensified collaboration with treaty bodies and the establishment of the National Commission on Human Rights. She regrets, however, that the Commission and its members do not have the status or resources appropriate to guarantee their efficiency and independence. Although she has noted progress in the restoration of the authority of the State, the redeployment of the administration of justice and prisons, and the building and rehabilitation of prisons, she regrets that, in the towns in which the prefectural authorities are present, some judges and prison officers have still not returned to their posts. The Expert encouraged the national authorities speedily to initiate reform of the justice system, a human rights strategy and a national policy on the return of displaced persons and refugees. She also noted the establishment of the High Council for Communication and the High Authority in charge of good governance. 82. In 2015, the Bangui Forum on National Reconciliation initially approved the Truth, Justice, Compensation and Reconciliation Commission but did not detail its responsibilities. In 2017, the Government adopted a decree establishing a steering committee to examine the terms of reference of this Commission. After a delay in the start of the activities of the committee, a decree signed on 25 July 2018 extended its mandate by three months so that it could carry out the work planned under the decree establishing it, in particular the organization of wide-ranging consultations on the real expectations of the population with regard to the Commission. The Independent Expert expressly emphasizes that the consultations should include victims, civil society organizations and refugees, and plan for an adequate timeline to introduce significant elements into the basic terms of reference of the Commission, such as receiving information in return on some of the planned responsibilities as they are defined. She also points out that the stakeholders of the African Initiative for Peace and Reconciliation and local peace agreements will have to take into account choices made by the people as to the responsibilities of the Commission. The Expert was also informed of the operation of 16 local peace and reconciliation committees as local centres of initiative on peace, focusing on the issues of free circulation of people and goods, the peaceful coexistence of communities, the return of displaced persons and refugees and the acceptance of new prefectural authorities. She has, however, been informed of the technical and operational difficulties that these committees experience for lack of adequate resources. 83. The fourth pillar of a transitional justice strategy is compensation programmes that seek to provide victims of violations and their families with individual and collective material and symbolic compensation. 7 The Mapping Report sets out the number of victims of the conflict in the Central African Republic since 2003 and several means of compensation. In 2018, the Independent Expert notes that this subject has received little consideration. She recalled during her visits that compensation such as building roads, schools and training, and health and psychotherapeutic assistance centres, should help to dissipate resentment and frustrations and reduce disparities, at the same time as beginning to address the economic and social causes of the Central African conflict. She also invited her interlocutors to link the needs expressed with implementation of the National Recovery and Peacebuilding Plan. Lastly, she underscored the need to listen more attentively to the specific demands of women and young people and to ensure their participation in reconstruction and development programmes and decision-making. 7 14 Ibid., part two, chapter V. GE.18-13342