A/HRC/10/30 page 12 displaced from conflict. The day-to-day presence of UNHCR protection officers in field situations is important for the assessment and monitoring of the level and extent of human rights violations, which may have an impact on protecting or even producing refugees and other forced displacement. Furthermore, as recognized in the report of the Secretary-General on the responsibility to protect (A/63/677), the work of UNHCR has played an important role in protecting potential victims from the threat of genocide and other violations relating to the responsibility to protect. In this regard, the role of granting asylum and protecting refugees should be recognized and promoted as valuable in the protection of populations from genocide. E. Advisory Committee on the prevention of genocide 26. The Advisory Committee on the prevention of genocide was established in 2006 to provide guidance and support to the work of the Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide and to contribute to the broader efforts of the United Nations to prevent genocide. The Committee is composed of distinguished individuals with a diversity of backgrounds related to conflict prevention, human rights, peacekeeping, diplomacy and mediation. The members are not staff members of the United Nations and receive no payment for their participation in the Committee. 27. In 2008, the Advisory Committee continued to support the Special Adviser and to advise the Secretary-General. In addition to ad hoc contacts with the Special Adviser and individual members, the Advisory Committee held its fourth formal meeting on 27 October 2008, in New York,5 at which developments in the methodology and staffing of the office of the Special Adviser, specific country situations, developments regarding the responsibility to protect and the future composition and role of the Advisory Committee itself were discussed. The Committee’s advice to the Special Adviser and the Secretary-General remains largely confidential, but can be summarized as specific suggestions regarding the response to complex country situations where there is a possible risk of genocide, and advice on actions that can prevent genocide in the long term. Regarding its own future role, the Committee members recommended that the Committee should continue to operate, but that its membership and chairmanship should be rotated. III. ACTIVITIES OF THE SPECIAL ADVISER A. Responding to situations of concern 1. Democratic Republic of the Congo 28. Throughout 2008, the Special Adviser followed the situation in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and North Kivu in particular, with considerable concern. Reports from MONUC, United Nations special rapporteurs and civil society described a situation of grave human rights violations, ethnic discrimination and an absence of the rule of law. From 23 November to 4 December 2008, the Special Adviser conducted a mission to the Great Lakes Region, travelling to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and Uganda. He met with Government ministers, representatives of United Nations entities, civil society, representations of the various ethnic communities, representatives of the Catholic Church and victims of violations. 5 Previous meetings were held in June and October 2006 and in September 2007.