A/HRC/40/17 68. Additionally, asylum seekers were entitled to receive emergency health care and medical treatment. Malta had transposed the European Union Reception Conditions Directive into national law, which ensured the protection of family life and access to legal advisers and representatives of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. The legislation also provided asylum seekers with the right to access the labour market after a period of nine months, as long as they had retained their status. With the adoption of the country’s Migrant Integration Strategy, asylum seekers could present an integration request, prior to the determination of their application. 69. Malta had already implemented certain provisions of the Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons, including those intended to prevent and address the statelessness of abandoned children. At the same time, the Government was considering the possibility of ratifying the Convention. 70. The Directorate for Human Rights and Integration, which had been set up in 2015, had been designated as the national mechanism to coordinate the implementation of the recommendations from the universal periodic review. The Directorate had cooperated with civil society organizations on issues relating to human rights. 71. The Gender-based Violence and Domestic Violence Act (2018) had strengthened legal provisions criminalizing trafficking, forced prostitution and sexual exploitation. The budget allocations to combat trafficking in persons and assist the victims of exploitation had been increased. One of the new projects that had been financed focused on raising public awareness to prevent trafficking in persons. A second project aimed at providing support to victims of trafficking in persons and reducing the chances of being re-trafficked. Additionally, cooperation between civil society and the Government had been strengthened through consultation processes. 72. As for mental health services, Malta would spend 30 million euros to build a new psychiatric facility and refurbish the current psychiatric hospital. Mental health had been identified as a priority area in the National Health Strategy 2020–2030. Moreover, the World Health Organization had provided technical assistance to draft the mental health plan. 73. Malta was striving to improve its justice sector. The number of pending cases before the Civil Court, Criminal (Superior) Court and Family Court had reduced and the clearance rate for criminal cases had increased. A new commercial section within the Civil Court had recently started functioning. 74. Following a long consultation process with national, regional and international stakeholders, Malta was close to initiating parliamentary discussions on the establishment of a national human rights institution. In that connection, the Human Rights and Equality Commission Bill had envisaged the establishment of a national institution to protect human rights, and investigate and issue binding decisions on alleged human rights violations. It would act as an independent and impartial body, in full accordance with the Paris Principles and the European Union’s legislation on equality. 75. The Holy See acknowledged the efforts of the Government to combat every form of violence and to foster a family-friendly environment in the workplace. It also welcomed the efforts made to provide humanitarian assistance to migrants and refugees who continued to pass through Malta. 76. Hungary commended Malta for carrying out the preparatory work for the establishment of a national human rights institution. Hungary also commended Malta for its efforts to strengthen its legislation on equality. 77. Iceland commended Malta for the decision of its Parliament to approve legislation on marriage equality, extending full marriage rights to same-sex couples. It noted that Malta had been a strong supporter and advocate of the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons during the previous few years. 78. Indonesia noted with satisfaction the efforts of the Government to guarantee fundamental freedoms and the right to participate in public and political life. It welcomed the approval of the Fourth National Action Plan on Combating Trafficking in Persons and the establishment of the Council for Women’s Rights in 2017. 8