A/HRC/36/4 of femicide and of physical, sexual and psychological violence; the high level of women’s political participation; the recognition of same-sex civil unions; and the enactment of the Organic Act on Identity and Civil Data Management. 10. In line with the constitutional principle of “good living”, Ecuador had fully recognized the right to decent work and reduced the unemployment rate to 5.2 per cent, one of the lowest in the region. Moreover, during the decade of the Citizens’ Revolution, the budget for public health had been eight times greater than during the previous decade. The right to education was also guaranteed, with substantive investment in infrastructure and improvements to quality at all levels. 11. With regard to the environment, the delegation indicated that 34 per cent of Ecuadorian territory was currently protected. Ecuador had also built nine hydroelectric plants; as a result, more than 90 per cent of the country’s electricity came from renewable sources. 12. Ecuador was an international point of reference for the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities: indeed, the President-elect, Lenín Moreno, had previously held the post of Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on Disability and Accessibility. The delegation also mentioned the significant improvement in morbidity and mortality rates and noted that Ecuador had successfully reduced the child labour rate from 12.5 per cent in 2007 to 5.9 per cent in 2015. 13. Ecuador was one of the few States whose multinational and intercultural nature was recognized in its Constitution. It also had advanced legislation in the field of human mobility and welcomed the largest number of refugees in Latin America. 14. The delegation highlighted the comprehensive transformation of the penitentiary system, which included, inter alia, an investment of more than $300 million to combat overcrowding and allow adequate social reintegration; an increase of 50 per cent in the number of judges per 100,000 inhabitants and measures to improve the efficiency of the justice system while ensuring the independence of the judiciary. 15. Ecuador enjoyed a vibrant democracy and guaranteed freedom of association and expression. The delegation noted that discriminatory or defamatory messages could be spread by the media and that, therefore, the 2013 Organic Act on Communication, while guaranteeing the right to freedom of expression, also gave rise to responsibilities for the opinions expressed. 16. Ecuador had been able to guarantee the enjoyment of human rights during the humanitarian emergency caused by the April 2016 earthquake. In the wake of the earthquake, Ecuador had reconstructed 912 schools and 9 health centres and completed the construction of 12,220 homes. 17. Ecuador had taken several initiatives at the international level, such as the development of a binding legal instrument on transnational corporations and human rights. Ecuador was committed to strengthening the global agenda for fiscal justice and the creation of an intergovernmental fiscal body. 18. To conclude, the delegation stressed that Ecuador had been able to achieve those positive results presented through creative and sovereign political decisions. It had introduced a new social pact to promote both human beings and nature, a comprehensive and sustainable concept of development called “good living”, and an heterodox vision of financing development and had rethought its international relations. That had allowed Ecuador to meet 20 of the 21 targets of the Millennium Development Goals and transform the human rights situation in the country. B. Interactive dialogue and responses by the State under review 19. During the interactive dialogue, 83 delegations made statements. Recommendations made during the dialogue are to be found in section II of the present report. 3