A/HRC/25/43 I. Introduction 1. This report is submitted pursuant to resolution 23/18 of 13 June 2013, in which the Human Rights Council requested the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to submit to the Council at its twenty-fifth session a report evaluating the needs for technical assistance and capacity-building in the Central African Republic. 2. On 27 September 2013, the Human Rights Council adopted resolution 24/34, in which it decided to appoint an independent expert to monitor the situation of human rights in the Central African Republic and make recommendations concerning technical assistance and capacity-building in the field of human rights. 3. At its seventeenth session, the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review reviewed the Central African Republic (25 October 2013) and, at its 17th meeting, held on 31 October 2013, adopted its report on the Central African Republic (A/HRC/25/11). Of the 178 recommendations made to the Central African Republic, 93 received the support of the transitional authorities, 81 were considered to have already been implemented or to be in the process of implementation, 3 need to be considered by the Central African Republic, which will provide responses to them no later than the twenty-fifth session of the Human Rights Council in March 2014 (e.g., the recommendation requesting ratification of the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights), and only 1 recommendation (concerning the establishment of a functioning judicial system based on an independent police force and judiciary) was rejected by the Central African Republic. 4. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has been involved since 2000 in activities to promote and protect human rights in the Central African Republic within the framework of the United Nations Peacebuilding Support Office in the Central African Republic (BONUCA) and, since 2010, in the activities carried out by the Human Rights and Justice Section of the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in the Central African Republic (BINUCA). 5. OHCHR wishes to thank the Minister of Justice, who is responsible for judicial reform, the Minister for Human Rights and Coordination of Humanitarian Action and civil society representatives for their contribution to the report. II. Background 6. In her previous report of September 2013 to the Human Rights Council (A/HRC/24/59 and Corr.1), which covered the events that had occurred between December 2012 and 11 July 2013, the High Commissioner concluded that, during the conflict that had taken place between 10 December 2012 and 23 March 2013, violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law had been committed by Government forces under the regime of former President Bozizé and the Séléka armed group. The High Commissioner also pointed out that, since 24 March 2013, when the Séléka came to power, its members had continued to commit serious human rights violations, thereby engaging the responsibility of the State. 7. The dissolution of the Séléka by Decree No. 13.334 of 12 September 2013 did not prevent the emergence of armed self-defence groups, the anti-balaka militias,1 who sought 1 GE.14-11122 “Balaka” means machete in Sango. 3