A/HRC/42/7 Council resolution 1325 (2000), and its National Strategy for Equality and NonDiscrimination to combat, inter alia, all forms of discrimination and violence against women and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons. 9. Portugal highlighted the results that had already been attained by the new National Strategy for the Integration of Homeless People. 10. Thanks to the improved economic situation, the trend that had led hundreds of thousands of Portuguese citizens to emigrate had been reversed. The level of the Social Integration Income had been raised to provide increased support for persons or families in serious economic need and at risk of social exclusion. Family allowance had also been raised, the range of beneficiaries widened with an increase for single-parent families, and the pension update mechanism has also been restored. 11. The minimum wage had gradually increased by about 14 per cent between 2014 and 2019. Unemployment had steadily declined from 13.9 per cent in 2014 to 6.5 per cent in the first quarter of 2019. The youth unemployment rate had fallen from 34.1 per cent in 2014 to 20.3 per cent in 2018. 12. Measures to combat job insecurity and improve social protection for self-employed workers had been reinforced with the entry into force of the new legal regimes for social protection during illness, unemployment and child rearing. Inspections to combat undeclared work had been reinforced, and steps taken to remedy the misuse of service agreements and fixed-term contracts. 13. Access to the National Health Service was completely free of charge in priority areas such as family planning, services for victims of domestic violence, combating alcoholism and drug addiction and the national vaccination programme. All persons residing in Portugal had access to the National Health Service, including immigrants, even those in an irregular situation. Portugal stood at the forefront of efforts to combat infectious diseases such as HIV and viral hepatitis through widespread community screening and access to treatment. Since August 2016, access to medically assisted procreation techniques has been extended to all women regardless of their marital status, sexual orientation and fertility diagnosis. 14. As part of the new generation of housing policies, the provisional budget until 2024 for the First Right programme was €700 million. The Affordable Lease Programme had been approved to increase the availability of housing at lower rents that were more aligned with household income. The Government had also adopted a social tariff regime for water supply and sanitation, applicable in all municipalities, and social tariffs for electricity and natural gas. 15. Inclusive education remained a priority. As part of the efforts to implement the 2030 Agenda, public investment in the sector had increased. Since 2016, all children had been given access to preschool education from the age of 4 and, in the 2019/20 school year, it would be extended to all children from 3 years of age. By 2017, 95 per cent of 5-year-olds had been integrated into preschool. Combating school dropout remained a priority; the early dropout rate for education and training had declined significantly from 43.6 per cent in 2000 to 11.8 per cent in 2018. 16. The National Reading Plan had been reinforced and a national adult literacy plan was under preparation. Particular attention was paid to lifelong learning and the improvement of literacy skills, including digital literacy, to assist low-skilled adults, who were at greater risk of social exclusion. 17. The National Strategy for Education for Citizenship included subjects such as human rights, gender equality, interculturalism, the environment, and sexual and reproductive health. 18. To promote access to culture for young people, Portugal had launched the És.Cultura’18 programme. It had also recently approved the National Arts Plan, which would increase the availability of cultural and educational opportunities. Measures had been taken to improve the accessibility of cultural services for persons with disabilities. In addition, access to national monuments and museums was now free of charge. 3