A/HRC/10/29 435. Egypt stated that the accepted recommendations demonstrated the efforts made in the promotion of human rights. Egypt emphasized the climate of religious tolerance, where all religious and cultural particularities are respected. The United Arab Emirates had ensured a climate of freedom for all religions, allowing the communities to practise their faiths and traditions and to follow their own education systems. The Government had offered free land for schools and cemeteries for other religions. 436. Saudi Arabia indicated that the United Arab Emirates had accepted the majority of recommendations, demonstrating its commitment to human rights, especially women’s rights. The United Arab Emirates had ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and developed the legal basis to eradicate the problem of violence against women. It had also taken a number of steps to ensure social services, including education and health, and it praised its efforts to protect those rights. 437. Morocco praised the national plan of action of the United Arab Emirates for the implementation of review recommendations. The State had accepted most recommendations, including the one made by Morocco that it put in place a national strategy to disseminate a culture of human rights and to ensure the long-term protection of rights. Women’s issues played a central role in development strategies and the General Women’s Union played an active role in promoting the rights of women. The United Arab Emirates had conducted initiatives to harmonize national laws with international commitments, and had acceded to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the Palermo Protocol. 438. Oman thanked the United Arab Emirates for its constructive cooperation with the universal periodic review and its positive engagement with the recommendations. It paid tribute to the country for the positive measures taken, including its voluntary commitments and the national plan of action. 439. Kuwait noted the constructive approach for the implementation of review recommendations, which proved that the United Arab Emirates was interested in cooperating with international mechanisms, in particular the Council. The State had largely accepted the recommendations, notably with regard to religious freedoms, education and health systems, strategies to promote sustainable development and comprehensive reforms aiming at the improvement of labour conditions and the promotion of workers’ rights. Kuwait praised the national plan of action, which aimed at implementing the commitments and recommendations made during the review with the participation of civil society. 440. Yemen thanked the United Arab Emirates for accepting its recommendation on the enactment of a national law for the protection of children, and commended it for the ratification of the Palermo Protocol. Yemen also commended it for having established a national committee to implement the review recommendations, and for inviting the Special Rapporteur on the sale of children to visit the country. 441. Qatar welcomed the action taken by the United Arab Emirates to tackle the vast majority of recommendations, in particular regarding the improvement of working and living conditions of contractual workers, the spreading of a culture of human rights and the inclusion of the perspective of equality between men and women. Qatar appreciated the fact that, regarding the recommendation it made on the reform of the 1980 Law on Publications and all other related laws to take into account the evolution of freedom of expression, a press and information law had been adopted and was soon to be promulgated by the head of State. Qatar invited all relevant human rights mechanisms to provide the United Arab Emirates with the necessary assistance. GE.09-17451 155