A/HRC/10/52 page 14 III. HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVITIES OF THE UNITED NATIONS A. The Human Rights and Rule of Law Section of the United Nations Integrated Office in Sierra Leone 42. The mandate of the Human Rights and Rule of Law Section of UNIOSIL and its successor mission, UNIPSIL, is the following: (a) providing assistance to national commissions and institutions for the promotion of good governance and human rights, including the development of a national plan of action for human rights; (b) monitoring and promoting human rights, democratic institutions and the rule of law; and (c) supporting the review of the 1991 Constitution and the enactment of relevant legislation. 43. At the beginning of 2008, the UNIOSIL Human Rights and Rule of Law Section was composed of 25 staff, including 6 international, 5 United Nations volunteers, and 14 national staff. In addition, OHCHR provided 10 national staff posts to facilitate national coverage of Section activities. Staff strength was reduced by 20 per cent in March 2008 consistent with Security Council resolution 1829 (2008). Further reductions in staffing took place upon the termination of the UNIOSIL mandate in September 2008. By the end of 2008, the Human Rights and Rule of Law Section had 3 international and 12 national staff, 10 of whom were supported under the OHCHR budget. OHCHR allocated US$ 326,000 in its biannual budget (2007-2008) to facilitate the implementation of Section activities. B. Activities of the Human Rights and Rule of Law Section 1. Capacity building 44. In the area of greater country engagement, the Section focused on building national capacity for the promotion and protection of human rights and for the realization of rights. Significant achievements in this regard included the operationalization of the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone, and building its capacity for the effective implementation of its statutory mandate. The Section conducted a broad range of activities including capacity-building, policy advice, joint programming and the provision of material support. Technical support and advisory services were provided for the implementation of the US$ 1.5 million capacity-building of the Commission under the Peacebuilding Fund, and towards the formulation of the Commission’s five-year strategic action plan. 45. The Section conducted capacity-building programmes in the area of human rights, democracy and the rule of law for civil society organizations, traditional leaders, religious organizations, and the Government and its institutions, including local district councils. It organized training programmes on human rights monitoring, investigation and reporting for the district Human Rights Committees, an umbrella grouping of local NGOs, benefiting over 750 human rights activists. Joint monitoring of the human rights situation in the regions and joint training and sensitization programmes on human rights were also conducted with the Committees as a way of building their capacity. In 2008, in collaboration with the Committees in Kenema and Kailahun, the Section organized 16 training programmes benefitting over 800 pupils in 16 secondary schools.