A/HRC/13/40 D. Mission destination Date of visit Report on visit Lao People’s Democratic Republic November 2009 A/HRC/13/40/Add.4 Follow-up activities 14. Follow-up is considered a crucial element in ensuring that appropriate measures are taken in response to the work of the special procedures. Follow-up includes the full range of measures taken to encourage, facilitate and monitor the implementation of recommendations contained in the Special Rapporteur’s country reports, communication reports and thematic reports. In addition to States — which have the main responsibility for implementing the recommendations — key partners at the national level who might be involved in follow-up activities include national human rights institutions, civil society organizations and United Nations country teams. 15. As indicated in her previous report to the Human Rights Council,19 the Special Rapporteur has re-established the initial approach20 of sending follow-up letters after country visits in order to receive updated information about the implementation of her recommendations at the national level. In this regard, the Special Rapporteur transmitted in November 2009 follow-up tables to the Governments of the eight countries which she had visited from 2005 to 2007. These tables contain the conclusions and recommendations from her mission report and follow-up information from relevant United Nations documents, including from the universal periodic review, special procedures and treaty bodies. A third column includes information provided by the State on the consideration given to these recommendations, the steps taken to implement them and any constraints which may prevent their implementation. These follow-up tables will also be uploaded onto the Special Rapporteur’s website.21 16. The communications reports provide an opportunity for the Special Rapporteur to follow up on allegation letters and urgent appeals, in particular through her observations on the communications sent and the replies received from States. In some instances, the Special Rapporteur has also sent follow-up communications to request further clarification or information from the State concerned. While the Special Rapporteur has taken up some individual cases for a second time, in particular in the absence of a State reply and when new developments warrant sending another allegation letter or urgent appeal, the main follow-up to communications is carried out by local, national or international civil society organizations. The Special Rapporteur would like to emphasize the importance of being kept informed of any positive or negative developments in the relevant cases, including from the victims or the sources of the allegations. 17. The universal periodic review is another avenue for follow-up to country visits and special procedure communications. In addition, the Special Rapporteur can take up recommendations from the universal periodic review with regard to freedom of religion or belief when she subsequently visits the country concerned. During the five sessions of the universal periodic review which had been completed at the time of writing, religious issues were discussed with regard to 60 of the 80 countries reviewed so far. This fact illustrates that matters of freedom of religion or belief are of concern in a large number of countries in 19 20 21 8 A/HRC/10/8, para. 17. See A/51/542, annexes I and II; A/52/477/Add.1; A/53/279, annex; and E/CN.4/1999/58, annex. www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/religion/visits.htm. GE.09-17648