Minority rights focus in the United Nations 33 “standing invitations” to all mandates, which indicates their willingness in principle to invite any special procedure mandate at a mutually agreed time.43 Standing invitations are often issued or pledged when a State declares its candidacy for the Human Rights Council or while it is being reviewed under the universal periodic review. Mandate holders commonly undertake two or three country visits each year and base their selection of countries to which they request an invitation according to a range of criteria. Country visits allow experts to assess the country’s general human rights situation and to review institutional, legal, judicial and administrative developments as they pertain to their respective mandates. Experts usually meet with national and local authorities, including the executive, the judiciary and Members of Parliament; human rights institutions; NGOs; civil society organizations; and victims of human rights violations or their representatives. They often meet with local media representatives at the end of their mission, to issue preliminary observations that they will have discussed with the Government. A mission report including findings and recommendations is made public and submitted to the Council. Country visits are an important tool for minority advocates. They can create momentum for further work on the ground, give visibility to minority issues and provide an opportunity for change at the domestic level. They are also an opportunity to voice minority concerns in international forums without having to travel to Geneva. Minority advocates can become involved in country visits at three different stages. First, they may make suggestions and send a request for a country visit to a mandate holder explaining why such a mission would be relevant to the mandate, desirable and timely. Second, once a country visit has been agreed, minority advocates can advise the mandate holder on where to go, whom to meet and what to address. They can also inform and prepare their organizations and communities to make the most of their interaction with the mandate holder. Third, they can suggest recommendations that would be useful for their communities. Fourth, they can disseminate the report, monitor its implementation and report back to the mandate holder. Special procedures submit annual reports to the Council; some mechanisms are also requested to present an interim report to the United Nations General Assembly, which meets from September to December. The annual reports discuss the working methods, theoretical analysis, general trends and developments with regard to the mandate, and may contain general or specific recommendations; reports on country visits are usually presented as addenda. Reports have also contained summaries of communications transmitted to Governments. Special rapporteurs or representatives, experts and Chairs of working groups hold annual meetings, which provide an opportunity for the special procedures to meet and exchange views with representatives of States, the Bureau of the Council, the United Nations Secretariat, NGOs, agencies, funds and programmes. The Special Procedures Branch of OHCHR serves as the secretariat for these meetings, during which there is also a joint meeting with Chairs of the human rights treaty bodies. Much of the discussion is concerned with enhancing working methods and improving coordination and cooperation among these mechanisms, which in turn may have an impact on relationships between the mechanisms and States and NGOs, respectively. The Independent Expert on minority issues While a number of United Nations human rights bodies and mechanisms are concerned with issues of discrimination, racism or xenophobia – frequently experienced by minorities – the Independent Expert on minority issues is requested to specifically consider the situation of See www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/SP/Pages/Invitations.aspx (accessed 29 November 2012). 43