A/HRC/22/6 104. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland noted that the Ghanaian Constitution guarantees fundamental human rights and freedoms, including civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights. Progress towards abolition of the death penalty and eliminating discrimination against the disabled would be welcomed. It made recommendations. 105. The United States of America encouraged Ghana to increase prosecutions of human trafficking and services offered to victims and to give special attention to the fight against forced child labour in the fishing industry on Lake Volta. It also encouraged the protection of all citizens regardless of sexual orientation. It made recommendations. 106. Uruguay commended the work of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice. However, it has been reported that women practising witchcraft and widows are violently treated, often being stripped of their inheritance and sometimes subjected to humiliating rituals, whilst cases of female genital mutilation are alarmingly high. It made recommendations. 107. Zimbabwe stated that Ghana has made tremendous progress in areas including the advancement of the equality and empowerment of women, the enrolment of girls in school, the effective delivery of justice and the protection of children’s rights. It made a recommendation. 108. Algeria noted the concrete efforts of Ghana in the promotion and protection of human rights by an institutional strengthening programme, in particular the setting up of Constitutional Review, Human Rights and Administrative Justice and HIV/AIDS Commissions. It made recommendations. 109. Angola praised the continued commitment of Ghana to human rights mechanisms and international instruments along with Government efforts in promoting rights and fundamental freedoms through constitutional reforms, adoption of legislation in the fields of penal justice and measures in the fields of housing, education and sexual equality. 110. Australia welcomed the commitment of Ghana to abolish the death penalty and to several human rights reforms, particularly those in support of gender equality. It expressed concern about protection of the rights of persons with disabilities, as well as the reports of police brutality, arbitrary arrest and excessive detention. It made recommendations. 111. Austria commended the country’s fight against gender-based violence and the establishment of a specific gender-based violence court, but was concerned about persistent violence against women. Austria was alarmed that harmful traditional practices, including female genital mutilation, are still carried out, especially in Northern Ghana. It made recommendations. 112. Bangladesh was impressed by the efforts of Ghana in promoting and protecting the human rights of its people, and in ratifying the major international human rights treaties. Bangladesh commended Ghana for achieving a decline of over 25 per cent in HIV prevalence. It made recommendations. 113. Belgium commended the recommendation, made by the Ghanaian Constitutional Reform Commission, to abolish, de jure, the death penalty. In this regard, Belgium would like to know whether the Ghanaian authorities undertake to follow this recommendation. It made recommendations. 114. Benin noted with satisfaction the progress of Ghana in the fields of access to justice, improved detention conditions, combating domestic violence, eliminating harmful cultural practices, spouse property rights, the inheritance issue and refugee return to families and communities. 13