A/HRC/38/9 51. Chile congratulated the Bahamas for its normative and institutional advances, such as the establishment of the National Committee for Families and Children. It noted the measures that the Bahamas had taken in order to advance the final ratification of the Convention against Torture. 52. China welcomed the adoption of the Vision 2040 National Development Plan by the Bahamas. It welcomed the social and economic development that had been achieved in the Bahamas as regards education, health, women, children, persons with disabilities, combating violence against women and trafficking in persons. 53. Côte d’Ivoire welcomed the legislative, institutional and administrative reforms made by the Bahamas in order to ensure better protection of human rights. It particularly welcomed the adoption, in 2014, of the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities) Act. It urged the Bahamas to strengthen legislation to extend full enjoyment of human rights, especially to women, children, migrants and asylum seekers. 54. Cuba underscored the adoption of legislation such as the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities) Act, 2014, and the amendment to the Justice Protection Act. It recognized advances in gender equality and the human rights of persons with disabilities, among others. It called on the international community to attend to the request of the Bahamas for technical assistance for development and the promotion of human rights. 55. Denmark stressed that ensuring full and effective gender equality and the protection of women and girls against all forms of discrimination were crucial when seeking to advance respect and protection for human rights and must be a key objective also in relation to ensuring socially and economically sustainable societies. 56. Ecuador expressed recognition for the efforts to comply with the recommendations made in the second universal periodic review, particularly to ratify the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, adopt the law on persons with disabilities in 2014 and establish a national commission for that group of people. It highlighted the adoption of laws to improve the administration of justice as well as the protection of children, and the results achieved with the Swift Justice initiative. 57. France welcomed the implementation by the Bahamas of the recommendations made in 2013, in particular the ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. 58. Georgia commended the Government for the drafting and enactment of national legislation as recommended during the previous cycle, welcomed the ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, accession to two Optional Protocols to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the significant steps towards promoting fundamental human rights, including through cooperation with the special procedure mandate holders. It encouraged the Government to impose a de jure moratorium on the death penalty, with a view to its abolishment. 59. Germany commended the Government for its efforts to promote and protect human rights. The accession to two Optional Protocols to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, as well as the ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, were encouraging. Germany remained concerned about a number of human rights issues. 60. Guyana congratulated the Government on the presentation of its comprehensive report to the third cycle of the universal periodic review. It highlighted the country’s economic, social and political development and high human development. It congratulated the Bahamas for the progress it had made in advancing gender equality. 61. Haiti took note of the steps taken by the authorities of the Bahamas to improve the living conditions of all of the communities in the country, especially in the area of education. 62. Honduras congratulated the Bahamas for measures taken to implement previous recommendations, in particular the process of legislative reforms in the fields of human rights and education. It welcomed the adoption of the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities) Act, 2014, which established the integration of persons with disabilities in schools and gave the Ministry of Education responsibility for establishing and maintaining an integrated system of special education for those persons. 6