A/HRC/4/41 page 8 I. INTRODUCTION A. The mandate 1. The Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances was the first United Nations human rights thematic mechanism to be established with a universal mandate. The Working Group derives its original mandate from Commission on Human Rights resolution 20 (XXXVI) of 29 February 1980. This resolution followed General Assembly resolution 33/173 of 20 December 1978, in which the Assembly expressed concern over reports from various parts of the world relating to enforced disappearances and requested the Commission on Human Rights to consider the question of missing or disappeared persons. 2. The Working Group’s mandate was elaborated in General Assembly resolution 47/133 of 18 December 1992, entitled “Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance”. The mandate was most recently extended by Commission on Human Rights resolution 2004/40 of 19 April 2004 and Human Rights Council decision 1/102 of 30 June 2006. 3. The Working Group’s mandate is humanitarian. It serves as a channel for communication between family members and Governments. The primary task of the Working Group is to clarify the fate or whereabouts of persons who are reported to have disappeared. 4. In addition to its core mandate, the Working Group has also been entrusted, according to Commission resolution 2004/40, with the task of monitoring the progress of States in fulfilling obligations derived from the Declaration. B. Methods of work 5. The methods of work were most recently revised by the Working Group (E/CN.4/2002/79, annex I) and approved by the Commission on Human Rights. 6. The Working Group does not deal with situations of international armed conflict. 7. The Working Group’s mandate is defined to cover violations carried out by State agents or non-State actors acting with the acquiescence or consent of the State. 8. Standard procedure. Reported cases of disappearances are placed before the Working Group for detailed examination during its sessions. Those which fulfil the requirements as described in the methods of work are transmitted by letter from the Working Group’s Chairperson-Rapporteur to the Government concerned through the Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office at Geneva or New York with the request to inform the Working Group about the fate or whereabouts of the disappeared persons (generally the current address or documented record of death or absence). It is common for the Working Group to facilitate subsequent exchanges of information between the source and the Government until the case is clarified (see paragraph 11).