A/HRC/45/28 (COVID-19) pandemic struck throughout the world, taking a heavy toll on the world’s population, including the most vulnerable people. It is therefore impossible to ignore this dire context in the present report. 6. In preparing the report, in addition to extensive research and desk review, the Independent Expert held several teleconferences with various stakeholders in lieu of the inperson consultations that he had planned to hold in two regions and that had to be cancelled owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. He also used material and notes that he had gathered during his visit to Geneva, Paris and Washington, D.C., in May 2019, which were relevant to the topic of the report. He is grateful to everyone who took the time to engage with him and contributed to the report in spite of these challenging circumstances. 7. The report is not intended to be an exhaustive study of the present topic, but rather an overview of some of the main issues at stake, which could pave the way for further reflection. The Independent Expert hopes that his report will provide useful observations and recommendations to all stakeholders involved in upholding, contributing to or monitoring good governance and human rights at the local level, with a view to achieving a democratic and equitable international order. II. Activities 8. In September and October 2019, on the margins of the forty-second session of the Human Rights Council and the seventy-fourth session of the General Assembly, the Independent Expert held a series of bilateral meetings with representatives of Member States and civil society in Geneva and New York. In addition, he had exchanges with representatives of the Right to Development Section and the Human Rights, Economic and Social Issues Section at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Geneva, and with the Special Adviser to the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth in New York. 9. During the reporting period, half of which was marked by travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Independent Expert took part in a number of events, including: (a) The 2019 Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development’s regional consultation on “Shaping a peoples’ trade agenda”, held in Kuala Lumpur (26 to 28 August 2019); (b) The Human Rights Defenders Forum, on the theme “Building solidarity toward equality for all”, organized by the Carter Center, held in Atlanta, United States of America (12 to 15 October 2019); (c) An international conference on the theme “Social media: challenges and ways to promote freedoms and protect activists” organized by the National Human Rights Committee of Qatar in cooperation with OHCHR, the European Parliament, the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions and the International Federation of Journalists, held in Doha (16 and 17 February 2020); (d) A workshop on the theme “Representation and elections in Africa” organized by Aarhus University and held in Aarhus, Denmark (28 to 29 February 2020). 10. The Independent Expert is once again pleased with the increased interest in his mandate expressed by his various interlocutors, and the inspiring discussions held around the thematic priorities that he intends to pursue during the remaining part of his tenure. 11. The expert issued six communications and 19 press releases jointly with fellow special procedure mandate holders. Several of these press releases related to human rights challenges arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. 3