A/HRC/8/38 Page 10 and the police. Noting that Guatemala has signed the Convention and is a member of the “Group of Friends of the Convention”France recommended that Guatemala ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. 46. Azerbaijan noted that Guatemala was still living with the consequences of internal armed conflict and commended the determination of the Government to heal the wounds, particularly through CICIG, on efforts to accelerate the democratization process, legal reforms on human trafficking and racial discrimination, and on the establishment of a special commission to search for those who disappeared during the conflict. It also commended the effectiveness of OHCHR in the country. Azerbaijan pointed out poverty, unemployment, organized crime, malnutrition among children and a high infant mortality rate as obstacles. It encouraged Guatemala to strengthen efforts to effectively secure the rights of indigenous peoples. Information was sought on: (i) practical implementation of the National Reparation Programme for victims of war; (ii) measures to address low school attendance in rural regions and among indigenous communities, and (iii) a response to CEDAW recommendations to bring the provisions of the civil, criminal and labour codes in conformity with the Convention. 47. Germany asked the Government about its views on the achievements of the OHCHR Office in Guatemala and of any necessary improvements in cooperation between the Office and the institutions of Guatemala. It also cited the report of Special Representative of the SecretaryGeneral on human rights defenders and asked if Guatemala had put into practice or intended to take up any of her recommendations. Germany cited figures in United Nations reports on the existence of more than 1.5 million illegal weapons in Guatemala, commented that the right to life was threatened by their existence, and asked what programmes existed to collect them so that femicide and homicide could be reduced. 48. Regarding impunity, Peru asked about the ongoing measures taken to judge those responsible for past human rights violations. It also asked when the Government planned to accede to and ratify the Rome Statute. Noting that despite the law on quotas, women continue to be underrepresented in political life, in particular indigenous women, and requested information on how the legal framework is being translated into practice in this regard. 49. Following the dialogue, the President of COPREDEH stated that the delegation would reply to most questions raised but also provide further information later. Guatemala has a system to monitor and follow up on the recommendations of international and national human rights bodies and a number of the recommendations of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on the situation of human rights defenders have been implemented. The Government is working on a national plan of action and it will be implemented in each of its units. However, the delegation clarified that Guatemala has not received yet received her report. 50. Concerning CICIG, the mandate was to conduct independent investigations and to collaborate with the State on dismantling illegal bodies and clandestine security organisations. In this regard, agreements have been drafted to strengthen the national justice system. The delegation added that CICIG provides technical expertise and support to strengthen Guatemala’s national system, and also cited the creation of various mechanisms for better evaluation and coordination of the specific impact of human rights awareness within governmental units. 51. On torture, Guatemala emphasized the role of and actions taken by the Procuraduria of Human Rights to deal with allegations of torture. 52. On the protection of children and corporal punishment, Guatemala noted that the national law for the integral protection of children and youth, which prohibits all mistreatment, is in accordance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child which Guatemala ratified in 2002. Guatemala has also developed a plan of action for the protection against commercial sexual