A/HRC/22/45 9. The Working Group is grateful for the additional human resources given to it during the reporting period. It notes, however, that, despite the efforts made, a backlog of more than 900 cases remains. The Working Group considers that reducing the backlog of cases is one of its priorities. Therefore, it is essential that additional support be sustained in the future. II. Activities of the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances: 12 November 2011 to 9 November 2012 A. Sessions, intersessional activities of the members and other events 10. During the period under review, the Working Group held three sessions: the ninetysixth session, from 12 to 16 March 2012; the ninety-seventh session, from 9 to 13 July 2012; and the ninety-eighth session, from 31 October to 9 November 2012. All sessions were held in Geneva. 11. The post of Chairperson- Rapporteur of the Working Group was held by Jeremy Sarkin until 11 March 2012. As from 12 March 2012, the Chairperson-Rapporteur of the Working Group is Olivier de Frouville. The other members are Ariel Dulitzky, Jasminka Dzumhur, Osman El-Hajjé and Jeremy Sarkin. 12. On 5 March 2012, the Chairperson-Rapporteur presented the annual report of the Working Group for 2011 to the Human Rights Council at its nineteenth session, and participated in the interactive dialogue with Member States. 13. On 25 October 2012, the Chairperson-Rapporteur of the Working Group addressed the General Assembly at its sixty-seventh session and participated in the interactive dialogue with Member States. 14. On 30 and 31 October 2012, the Working Group held an event in Geneva to mark the twentieth anniversary of the Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. On 30 October, a one-day thematic discussion was devoted to the theme ―Exploring best practices and challenges to protect women from enforced disappearance and its impact‖, followed by, on 31 October, a half-day open dialogue between the Working Group and representatives of States. The first day of the event focused on the impact of enforced disappearances on women as well as on the role of women as actors of change. Participants highlighted the socioeconomic and other consequences of enforced disappearances on women, as well as the gender-specific vulnerabilities of women during enforced disappearances. Women relatives of victims gave their testimonies and spoke of their role at the forefront of the struggle against enforced disappearances, while highlighting the difficulties encountered in their activities aimed at realizing the right to truth and justice. The second day of the event was devoted to an open dialogue between the Working Group and the States concerning the challenges and best practices in the implementation of the Declaration in the area of prevention, justice, truth and reparation for victims of enforced disappearance. The members of the Working Group introduced each topic of discussion, which was followed by an interactive dialogue with Member States. Various issues were highlighted, including the need to develop a comprehensive strategy to protect witnesses and relatives of the disappeared; the obligation of the States to include an autonomous crime of enforced disappearance in their criminal codes; the importance of developing gender-sensitive reparation measures; and the need to conceive the right to the truth as an absolute right. 4