A/HRC/10/29 497. At the 29th meeting, on 19 March 2009, the Council considered and adopted the outcome of the review on Liechtenstein (see section C below). 498. The outcome of the review on Liechtenstein comprises the report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review (A/HRC/10/77), the views of Liechtenstein concerning the recommendations and/or conclusions, and its voluntary commitments and replies presented before the adoption of the outcome by the plenary to questions or issues that were not sufficiently addressed during the interactive dialogue in the Working Group (see also A/HRC/10/77/Add.1). (a) Views expressed by the State under review on the recommendations and/or conclusions as well as on its voluntary commitments and on the outcome 499. The delegation of Liechtenstein provided an update on relevant developments that had occurred since the adoption of the universal periodic review report on Liechtenstein by the Working Group. 500. In December 2008, Parliament had approved the accession of Liechtenstein to the 1993 Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Cooperation in respect of Intercountry Adoption. As a State party to that convention, Liechtenstein would be able to also ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography. 501. On 1 February 2009, the new Children and Youth Act had entered into force. Article 3 of that act stipulates, inter alia, that children and youth have the right to education free of violence, mentioning explicitly that any form of corporal punishment, emotional harm and other degrading measures are not tolerable. Liechtenstein stressed that this provision complemented the existing prohibition of corporal punishment at school and in public childcare institutions, extending it to all settings, including the family. 502. The delegation further stressed that, also in February, the Government had established an interdisciplinary working group with the specific mandate to examine any legislative and other measures required for the domestic implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol. In the same month, the Government approved a concept paper entitled “Persons with disabilities in the working process”, which had been prepared by a working group set up to analyse the current situation in Liechtenstein with regard to this more specific area. On the basis of this development, the delegation announced the voluntary commitment that Liechtenstein would intensify its examination of the necessary implementation measures with a view to a possible accession to that convention and its protocol. The commitment was made against the background of Liechtenstein’s general policy with regard to international treaties, which consists in adapting the relevant national legislation before ratification in order to allow for immediate implementation thereafter. 503. Also in February 2009, parliamentary elections were held in Liechtenstein. Among the 25 newly elected members of Parliament were 6 women, corresponding to about 24 per cent. The result corresponded to the one achieved in the parliamentary elections four years ago, and constituted a firm basis for Liechtenstein’s continued commitment to pay particular attention to the promotion of women’s participation at all levels and in all areas of public life. In this context, the delegation added that the new Government to be sworn in very soon would have a proportion of 40 per cent of female ministers. Liechtenstein made this commitment regarding women’s participation also as a reaction to the recommendations submitted during the session of the Working Group with regard to women’s rights. The delegation announced that Liechtenstein could accept all of the recommendations in this area, partly by converting them into voluntary commitments. GE.09-17451 167