A/HRC/11/16* the first year of primary school. The university teaching started in 2000–2001 using national funding and the numbers of students had significantly increased since then. 10. Regarding health, he indicated that the percentage of the national budget dedicated to health care increased considerably these past few years. Considerable efforts have been undertaken to help vulnerable people, notably mothers and children and still need to be undertaken to reach the MDGs. Reference was made to the National Health Development Initiative and to the National Health Development Plan and to the dynamic sub-regional cooperation undertaken in order to counter transmissible infections such as AIDS, TB and malaria. Efforts have been also focused on the reinforcement of human resources, notably training of staff through new bodies such as the Sciences and Health High Institute and the Medicine School. 11. The Labour Code established the minimum age for access to the labour market at 16 years, in line with the law on schooling, and provides for special measures for disabled workers. This code focuses on social dialogue and gives the State a facilitating instead of an organizing role. In addition, trade unions are provided with necessary guarantees to be set up freely in the Labour Code and the National Labour, Employment and Vocational Training Council is reviewing the legislation in this regard after recommendations made by the International Labour Organisation Monitoring Body regarding ILO Convention 87. Freedom of association is guaranteed in the Constitution and by law. Such associations are numerous in Djibouti, including with regard to human rights and the fight against poverty. 12. He recalled that Djibouti made considerable efforts to counter poverty and social exclusion, notably through the implementation of a National Policy to Campaign Against Poverty, which is included in the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper. Several priority measures and actions were defined, such as encouraging economic growth, bolstering competitivity, enhancement of human resources and promoting local development, and mixed results were identified through the first review of this policy three years after its adoption. While economic growth was achieved and access to basic social services enhanced, a significant part of the population continues to get poorer. Further to this review, the President of the Republic launched the National Social Development Initiative aimed at promoting access to basic social services, revising and restructuring national economic structure and assisting vulnerable people or people with specific needs. He underlined that all these efforts are based on economic, social and political governance and a Secretary of State under the auspices of the Prime Minister in charge of national solidarity was established to coordinate public aid programmes for vulnerable people and is working alongside the Agency for Social Development. The latter is mandated to contribute to the fight against poverty among most vulnerable groups and to lessen disparities among regions, through notably microfinance and micro-loans for those who cannot have access to bank loans. In order to finance these efforts, the Government of Djibouti mobilised 45.5 millions of dollars, including 5.5 by Djibouti itself, namely 10 per cent of the national budget. 13. He also thanked the countries which had put questions in advance and regarding the ratification of the Optional Protocol the Convention against Torture (OP-CAT) and the standing invitation to the special procedures, he took note of the point and would provide a reply in due time. On lesbian, gay and transgender and bisexual rights, he stated that the Constitution enshrines a non-discrimination principle and that the Criminal Code penalises violations of this principle. He informed that civil society was largely involved in the drafting of the national report, notably by collecting data, the national validation workshop and the drafters included many representatives of the civil society. On freedom of religion, he pointed out that Djibouti had no concerns in this respect, as such freedom is guaranteed by the Constitution, all major religions have places of worship and discrimination based on religion is severely punished under law. He emphasized that human rights are a cross- GE.09-15263 5