A/HRC/10/30 page 8 14. The Secretary-General has submitted a report to the General Assembly (A/63/677), in which he details the various proposals aiming at advancing the agenda mandated by the Heads of State at the 2005 World Summit. D. Contributions by the United Nations system 15. The responsibility to prevent genocide is incumbent primarily upon Member States, and then on the entire United Nations system, including all departments and specialized agencies, such as the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the Department of Political Affairs, the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, the Office of Legal Affairs, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the Department of Public Information, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). 16. During the first half of 2008, the Special Adviser circulated his office’s draft methodology to partners for their comments and hosted a meeting with United Nations partners to further discuss his mandate and methodology and to review possible collaboration. The Special Adviser’s staff work closely with counterparts in relevant departments when conducting their analysis of country situations and when planning visits to countries. For the purposes of the present report, the Special Adviser invited departments to describe their activities relating to the prevention of genocide through their regular activities. The paragraphs below provide non-exhaustive examples. 17. The Department of Political Affairs, within the context of its core mandate on the prevention and peaceful resolution of armed conflict, has contributed through its lead responsibilities on political analysis, guidance, coordination of inter-agency mechanisms and mediation, activities essential to the prevention of genocide. In addition, its special political missions are mandated to provide good offices and political facilitation. The Department is also often given the task of supporting national dialogue and reconciliation processes, coordinating and supporting United Nations efforts in their area of operations (especially peacebuilding) and monitoring human rights violations. The Department recently established the Mediation Support Unit to strengthen national, regional and international capacity for conflict resolution. The Unit provides operational support upon request to relevant actors involved in a mediation process through expert advice on procedural and key thematic issues (such as security, constitutions, power-sharing, human rights/transitional justice and wealth-sharing issues). In this regard, in 2008, the Unit put in place a stand-by team of mediation experts available on short notice to assist in negotiations and mediation processes. In addition, it works closely with regional organizations, particularly in Africa, to strengthen their mediation capacity. A two-year work programme to strengthen the mediation capacity of the African Union is an example of this effort. It is important to note that the Unit’s services are also available to all United Nations field missions, departments, agencies, funds and programmes. 18. Peace operations led by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations - through their human rights, rule of law, political affairs, civil affairs, child protection, gender, military and police components, and within the limits of their mandates and capacities - respond to past and ongoing violations and help to prevent their recurrence, including genocide, by working to ensure the protection of civilians under imminent threat of physical violence; monitoring the