A/HRC/17/15 43. Niger welcomed the delegations’ questions and recommendations. With regard to the death penalty, the representative of Niger said that the country had a de facto moratorium on the death penalty. The National Consultative Council (CCN) had issued an unfavourable opinion on the existing draft order concerning the death penalty in the hope of launching a major public debate and gaining public support. A three-pronged strategy for the adoption of the reform had already been approved, as had a timetable under which the death penalty was to be abolished before the end of the transition period. Despite the Council’s negative opinion, the process had been carried out in accordance with the timetable. 44. Niger had ratified the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment but not the Optional Protocol relating to it. The new Constitution prohibited torture and the Criminal Code provided for sanctions against perpetrators of acts of torture. There was consequently no obstacle to adopting a law criminalizing torture. The matter had been brought before a commission tasked with reform of civil and penal law, within the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights. Discussions would be held as a means of launching the process of ratifying the Optional Protocol. 45. With regard to acts of violence committed by the police, the Constitution of Niger guaranteed the right to life, health and physical integrity. The Criminal Code penalized intentional injury to individuals and crimes committed by public officials and dealt specifically with abuse of authority. Niger was striving to establish the rule of law, under which impunity would not be tolerated. Each time human rights violations had been reported to the authorities, an investigation had been conducted. A professional code of ethics for police was ready for adoption. 46. Citizens had open and guaranteed access to the justice system but the distances required to get to court and litigation costs had made such access difficult. Steps had been taken to implement a staff training plan and to establish courts throughout the country. A legal and judicial assistance mechanism for vulnerable groups had been piloted with success. Draft legislation to that end had been drawn up for adoption. 47. An inter-ministerial committee had been set up to deal with delays in submitting reports to treaty bodies. Three reports should be submitted in the near future. 48. As for efforts to combat the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM), a law criminalizing that practice had been adopted in 2003. The State and non-governmental organizations, principally the Nigerian Committee on Harmful Traditional Practices (CONIPRAT), had implemented programmes to combat such practices, and CONIPRAT had also conducted awareness-raising and training activities. Those efforts, which had helped to reduce the prevalence of FGM, were part of efforts to reach the goal of “FGM zero tolerance” by 2015. 49. A national ethics committee had been set up in anticipation of the adoption of the personal status code and the holding of a national popular consultation. A national validation workshop would be held with a view to adoption of the code. With the adoption of the code, Niger’s reservations with regard to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women would become obsolete. Once adopted, the code would regulate inheritance, divorce, repudiation, polygamy, early and forced marriage and violence against women and girls. 50. In 2008 the Government had adopted a national gender policy with four strategic action lines, which included reinforcing the effective application of the rights of women and young girls, combating gender-based violence and ensuring equitable participation of men and women in the administration of power. Specific steps had been taken by the Government, backed by its technical and financial partners and non-governmental organizations, to combat violence against women. Those steps had included the 8 GE.11-12306