A/65/207 A. Communications 54. One of the main activities undertaken by the Special Rapporteur is to engage in constructive dialogue with States by sending them communications to seek clarification on credible allegations received. Since the establishment of the mandate in 1986, the Special Rapporteur has sent more than 1,200 allegation letters and urgent appeals to a total of 130 States. The communications sent by the Special Rapporteur between 1 December 2008 and 30 November 2009, as well as the replies received from Governments, are summarized in the latest communications report she submitted to the Human Rights Council (A/HRC/13/40/Add.1). 55. Throughout the past six years, almost 50 per cent of the Special Rapporteur’s communications to States were sent jointly with other special procedures mandate holders. The Special Rapporteur welcomes this important collaboration with thematic and country-specific mandates, especially in view of the fact that violations of the right to freedom of religion or belief by its very nature are often coupled with violations of other human rights. 56. 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 by the victims or the sources of the allegations. B. Country visits 57. Country visits are an essential part of the Special Rapporteur’s activities as they offer an important opportunity for the mandate holder to interact with various State officials and to meet representatives of religious or belief communities and other members of civil society. In her country reports, the Special Rapporteur tries to identify existing and emerging obstacles to the enjoyment of the right to freedom of religion or belief and to present practical recommendations on ways and means to overcome such obstacles. Since 1986, the Special Rapporteur has conducted 32 country visits, including one follow-up mission. A list of the country visits, including the mission dates and corresponding document symbols, is contained in the Special Rapporteur’s latest thematic report to the Human Rights Council (A/HRC/13/40, para. 13). 58. The Special Rapporteur has re-established the mandate’s initial approach 46 of sending follow-up letters after country visits to request updated information about the implementation of her recommendations at the national level. In November 2009, the Special Rapporteur transmitted follow-up tables to the Governments of the eight countries which she had visited from 2005 to 2007. Those tables contain the conclusions and recommendations from her mission report and follow-up information from relevant United Nations documents, including reports of the __________________ 46 18 See A/51/542, annexes I and II; A/52/477/Add.1; A/53/279, annex; and E/CN.4/1999/58, annex. 10-47047