A/HRC/27/49 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. The original mandate derives from Commission on Human Rights resolution 20 (XXXVI) of 29 February 1980. The mandate was most recently extended by the Human Rights Council in its resolution 16/16 of 24 March 2011 and decision 25/116. 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 by the General Assembly of its resolution 47/133 and of the Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (hereinafter “the Declaration”), the Working Group was entrusted to monitor 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 reflects the activities of and communications and cases examined by the Working Group covering the period from 10 November 2012 to 16 May 2014.1 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 a table (see sect. III). 5. Since its inception, the Working Group has transmitted a total of 54,405 cases to Governments. The number of cases under active consideration that have not yet been clarified, closed or discontinued stands at 43,250 in a total of 88 States. The Working Group has been able to clarify 254 cases over the past five years. 6. The Working Group is concerned that many communications from Governments are not still translated in time, thus delaying their consideration by the Working Group and limiting its humanitarian mandate. 7. Information on the website of the Working Group remains inadequate. The majority of the content is in English only. The Working Group once again calls on the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to provide adequate resources to bring it up to date and render it more accessible. 8. The Working Group is grateful for the voluntary contributions provided by donor States, notably Argentina and France. It notes, however, that, despite the efforts made, almost 600 cases reporting allegations of enforced disappearances still need to be reviewed. The Working Group considers reducing the backlog of cases as one of its priorities. Given that the Working Group continues to regularly receive a high number of newly reported cases and taking into account all its other activities, it is essential that additional and sustained support be provided by the United Nations under its regular budget to fulfil the mandate. 1 As of 2014, the Working Group will report to the Human Rights Council at its September sessions. 3