A/HRC/27/69 country. The main opposition political parties also expressed support for the national dialogue, but emphasized the need for a transparent and fully inclusive process to make it sustainable. This raised general optimism for an open all-inclusive national dialogue towards finding a lasting solution to the political, social and human rights problems facing the country. 51. The leaders of the National Umma Party and the Sudanese Congress Party, who were supposed to be front-line participants in the proposed national dialogue, were regretfully arrested in May and June 2014 respectively. Consequently, the various opposition political parties and other stakeholders developed distrust of the Government’s proposed national dialogue. Nevertheless, it was acknowledged by most stakeholders that a meaningful national dialogue still needed to take place subject to necessary assurances that the Government would allow an enabling environment, free of intimidation, arbitrary arrests and detentions. Civil society organizations also requested their formal recognition by the Government as legitimate participants in the proposed national dialogue. 52. The Independent Expert supports the need for effective confidence-building measures and assurances by the Government to demonstrate its good faith in taking the national dialogue forward transparently. A recommended option would be to have regional observers from the African Union and the League of Arab States to support the national dialogue process. Almost all relevant stakeholders supported such a measure, when asked by the Independent Expert during his mission to the Sudan in June 2014. 53. Apart from registered political parties, it is also necessary to include representatives of armed movements, civil society organizations, academia, women and youth groups as formal participants in the national dialogue to ensure maximum inclusiveness of all relevant stakeholders. The University of Khartoum has already established a Forum for National Dialogue and Policies, which can contribute beneficially to the success of the national dialogue. F. Continued curtailment of activities of civil society organizations 54. There is commendable commitment on the part of local civil society organizations towards the improvement of the human rights situation in the Sudan, but the Government’s curtailment of their activities remains a matter of serious concern. The Independent Expert received complaints of continued intimidation of civil society organizations by government security agents. On 24 June 2014, while winding down his second mission to the Sudan, the Independent Expert received information about the Government’s closure, without giving a reason, of Salmmah Women’s Resource Centre, a women’s civil society organization in Khartoum focusing on gender-related issues. Since then, the Independent Expert has received expressions of concern from other organizations in the Sudan who are apprehensive of also being closed down by the Government for their work on the promotion of women’s rights in the Sudan. 55. The promotion of women’s rights is one of the most important aspects of human rights globally today, so civil society organizations working on the promotion of women’s rights should be protected and encouraged by the State rather than being restricted. It would be difficult for civil society organizations to operate under intimidating conditions and apprehension. The Independent Expert reiterates his call on the Government to grant civil society organizations the necessary space to operate legitimately and to ensure that its security agents stop curtailing the legitimate activities of civil society organizations in the country. 14