A/HRC/10/29 Working Group report on the review of the country on 5 December 2008. He informed the Council that Serbia, upon careful consideration of the report, had accepted most of the conclusions and recommendations completely or in part. Detailed explanation of the Government’s position had been provided regarding all the recommendations (see A/HRC/10/78/Add.1). 516. The delegate stated that, aware of its responsibility to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms, Serbia was ready and willing to implement the accepted recommendations and responsibilities, although implementation efforts often face pressing challenges, and sometimes an increase in public expenditure. The delegate highlighted the fact that Serbia had already begun, in the short period between the interactive dialogue and the adoption of the final report, to fulfil certain obligations; preparations for the ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol were well under way, as well as development of the initial report to the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Furthermore, the Government of Serbia had elaborated a draft law on prohibiting discrimination, and a national strategy for the improvement of the status of women and gender equality had been adopted. 517. The recommendation regarding the adoption of a separate anti-discrimination law was accepted, as were the recommendations for the advancement of the position of persons with disabilities. In 2006, the Government adopted a national strategy for the advancement of the position of persons with disabilities. The same year a law on the prevention of discrimination of persons with disabilities was adopted, while a law on the employment and professional rehabilitation of persons with disabilities would be adopted soon. 518. The recommendations regarding the State’s commitment to human rights protection and raising public awareness regarding human rights were accepted. The Ministry of Human and Minority Rights had signed a memorandum of cooperation with more than 150 non-governmental organizations, by which the parties pledged to ensure regular future exchange of information on activities connected with the preparation, adoption and implementation of laws and strategies in the area of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, in connection with the production of reports on the implementation of accepted international obligations, as well as with regard to other activities falling under the competency of the Ministry. In the future, the Ministry of Education would also take part in raising public awareness on the possibilities of using existing legal provisions and institutional mechanisms for the protection of human rights. Serbia would continue to take all necessary measures to strengthen national mechanisms for the implementation of the views of contracting bodies in connection with individual applications or petitions. 519. The recommendation regarding the report on the implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination was accepted, as the Ministry of Human and Minority Rights had already begun to prepare the initial report on the implementation of the Convention. Serbia accepted recommendations regarding the role of women in high-level decision-making processes. The country was undertaking activities towards changing the Family Law by introducing norms that clearly prohibited corporal punishment and protected children from all forms of physical punishment, including physical punishment in the family environment; therefore, the recommendations regarding prohibition of corporal punishment, including in the family, in line with the recent recommendation of the Committee on the Rights of the Child were accepted. 520. Recommendations regarding implementation of a comprehensive national strategy to prevent trafficking and sexual exploitation of children and to take effective measures to combat trafficking in women and children in cooperation with countries in the trafficking network were accepted. Serbia also accepted the recommendations to develop a legal system in line with international standards, in order to strengthen the rule of law. Recommendations regarding measures necessary to ensure that allegations of human rights 170 GE.09-17451