A/HRC/39/12 135. Singapore commended the prioritization of the protection of women, and the adoption of the National Action Plan to Prevent Violence against Women and Children, and was confident of the success of efforts to transform Bangladesh into a middle-income country by 2021. 136. Slovakia appreciated efforts to train journalists, expressing concern about cases of murder of journalists. It noted that disadvantaged children had limited educational opportunities. 137. Slovenia welcomed the work to ensure children’s rights, particularly efforts to eradicate child marriage, and expressed concern about the situation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons. 138. South Africa commended the Perspective Plan 2010–2021, the implementation of five-year plans and the strengthening of institutional mechanisms. 139. Spain noted efforts to promote and protect human rights, especially of minorities, to combat torture and to improve job security, and invited Bangladesh to approve the National Plan on Persons with Disabilities. 140. Tajikistan noted positively the enactment of numerous laws on children and persons with disabilities, and combating torture, for the promotion and protection of human rights. 141. Ecuador commended efforts to cope with the influx of refugees, and progress on the rights of children and persons with disabilities and on combating corruption. 142. The head of the delegation noted that Bangladesh had ratified the Optional Protocols to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Before entering into an Optional Protocol related to complaint mechanisms, Bangladesh would like to make existing national institutions stronger and more effective. 143. Regarding youth and employment, he noted that 1.4 million new jobs had been created since 2015. The Employment Generation Programme for the poorest provided a secure and regular source of income to over 700,000 people, more than 30 per cent of them women. 144. He noted that Bangladesh was a multiparty democracy and political parties enjoyed freedom of assembly and peaceful protest. He stated that it was unfortunate that, since 2014, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party had boycotted or disrupted election processes in ways condemned by many. The Government was committed to ensuring people’s right to vote, at any cost. Elections would be held on time, in accordance with Constitutional provisions, under the independent Election Commission. 145. The Supreme Court had issued a directive to stop all forms of corporal punishment against children at educational institutions and the Government had issued a circular accordingly. The head of the delegation stressed that when considering the human rights situation of a country, we must not lose sight of its specific social, political, cultural, economic and demographic situation. Therefore, efforts needed to be aligned with the people’s views, opinions and values, specifically on issues such as the death penalty or same-sex relations. 146. The head of delegation concluded by thanking all delegations, the troika members, the National Human Rights Commission and other stakeholders. II. Conclusions and/or recommendations 147. The recommendations formulated during the interactive dialogue/listed below have been examined by Bangladesh and enjoy the support of Bangladesh: 147.1 Continue constructive cooperation with the United Nations human rights mechanisms (Tajikistan); 147.2 Continue its cooperation with the United Nations and its mechanisms to protect and promote human rights (Kuwait); 11