A/HRC/35/43 III. Status of human rights institutions A. Ministry of Human Rights and Civil Liberties 14. The Ministry of Human Rights and Civil Liberties, which was established in January 2016 as an independent entity, was merged with the Ministry of Justice in January 2017. While recognizing that the Ivorian State has the sovereign right to organize its Government in accordance with its new Constitution, domestic law and any priorities and constraints associated with the budgets allocated to institutions, the Independent Expert believes that the creation of a ministry solely devoted to the protection and promotion of human rights in Côte d’Ivoire had an important symbolic value, which is undermined when responsibility for monitoring human rights issues is given to another ministry that already has very demanding responsibilities. 15. However, it is worth highlighting the significant legacy left by the former Ministry of Human Rights in the activities undertaken in 2016 and set out in the workplan drawn up for 2017. The Independent Expert encourages the Ministry of Justice, Human Rights and Civil Liberties to integrate the workplan, which focuses on protection, promotion and cooperation in the area of human rights, into its own strategies. Protection should be extended throughout the national territory with a view to meeting the expectations of the most vulnerable people. In order to improve the situation of detainees, regular inspections of all places of detention should continue to be carried out and followed up by the implementation of concrete measures. The Independent Expert also encourages the Government to organize campaigns to raise awareness of human rights, in particular through the “human rights caravans” and the human rights clubs established in schools. In addition, he invites the Ivorian authorities to continue the initiatives launched by the then Ministry of Human Rights and Civil Liberties in the area of international cooperation and interaction with the international human rights mechanisms and ensure that the recommendations emanating from the universal periodic review are implemented and followed up. 16. During his visit in January 2017, the Independent Expert also noted the need to strengthen collaboration between the Ministry of Justice, Human Rights and Civil Liberties and the National Human Rights Commission of Côte d’Ivoire, with due regard for the technical and financial independence of the latter institution, in order to monitor activities undertaken to protect and promote human rights. B. Ministry of Solidarity, Social Cohesion and Compensation of Victims 17. Transitional justice also involves attending to the victims of the crises that Côte d’Ivoire has suffered and, more broadly, strengthening social cohesion. In January 2016, the National Programme for Social Cohesion was upgraded to become the Ministry of Solidarity, Social Cohesion and Compensation of Victims. The cabinet reshuffle of January 2017 assigned the powers of this ministry to the Ministry of Women, Child Protection and Solidarity. 18. For one year, the Ministry of Solidarity, Social Cohesion and Compensation of Victims was active in various ways to bring a measure of calm to social relations among Ivorians. It encouraged Ivorian refugees to return to Côte d’Ivoire by opening an information point for receiving and assisting returnees. Most of the Ministry’s activities were supported by UNOCI. 19. In order to put an end to intercommunal tensions, which were sometimes accompanied by violence, the Ministry of Solidarity, Social Cohesion and Compensation of Victims continuously monitored hotbeds of tension, organizing visits to the Bouna region and organizing an intercommunal dialogue in December 2016. The Ministry also monitored the development of intercommunal tensions in Bédiala that arose from conflicts between border communities in Côte d’Ivoire and Mali and were fuelled by disputes over rural land ownership and struggles over the control of chiefdoms. In Bouaké, other recent tensions 6 GE.17-08076