A/HRC/45/CRP.7 I. Introduction and mandate 1. Responding to the continued reports of violations and abuses of international law in Yemen, the Human Rights Council (the “Council”), in resolution 42/2 of 26 September 2019, renewed the mandate of the Group of Eminent International and Regional Experts (“Group of Experts”) to monitor and report on the situation of human rights in Yemen. 2. The Group of Experts’ mandate is to carry out comprehensive investigations into all alleged violations and abuses of international human rights law and all alleged violations of international humanitarian law committed by all parties to the conflict since September 2014, including possible gender dimensions of such violations, to establish the facts and circumstances surrounding the alleged violations and abuses and, where possible, to identify those responsible and to make recommendations on improving respect for and protection and fulfilment of international human rights law and international humanitarian law, and to provide guidance on access to justice, accountability, reconciliation and healing. 3. The Group of Experts’ mandate also requires it to engage with Yemeni authorities and all stakeholders, in particular relevant United Nations agencies, the field presence of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Yemen, authorities of the Gulf States and the League of Arab States, with a view to exchanging information and providing support for national, regional and international efforts to promote accountability for violations and abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law in Yemen. 4. In resolution 42/2, the Human Rights Council made more explicit reference to international humanitarian law alongside international human rights law, compared with its previous mandate.1 The Council also requested the Group of Experts to present its comprehensive written report to the Human Rights Council at its forty-fifth session, replacing the previous procedure of submitting its report through the High Commissioner for Human Rights. 5. In December 2019, the High Commissioner reappointed Kamel Jendoubi (Tunisia) (Chair) and Melissa Parke (Australia) and appointed Ardi Imseis (Canada) as a new expert to replace Charles Garraway (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland). The Experts serve in a non-remunerated, independent capacity 6. The Group of Experts continues to be supported by a Secretariat of professional staff from OHCHR, based in Beirut, consisting of a coordinator, human rights investigators, an open source investigator, child protection specialist, gender specialist, a reporting officer and an analyst, together with a legal adviser, military adviser, and translation, media and administrative support staff. Owing to budgetary restraints, the Group was unable to recruit a field security officer. 7. In keeping with its mandate, this report details the Group of Experts’ analysis and findings about the main patterns of violations and abuses identified during the reporting period. It highlights the continuity of recurring behaviours and practices by parties to the conflict that the Group identified in its previous reports, and identifies additional patterns. It should be read in conjunction with and as a supplement to the official report of the Group (A/HRC/45/6). The earlier mandate of the Group of Experts referred to “all alleged violations and abuses of international human rights law and other appropriate and applicable fields of international law” (A/HRC/RES/36/31, 3 October 2017). 1 6