A/HRC/11/37 counselling and rehabilitation programmes. This Saudi security project was a pilot experiment, the international circulation of which has been advocated in some recommendations. 449. The recommendations resulting from the universal periodic review dialogue were an expression of a sincere desire to offer advice and objective criticism. However, some of the recommendations might fail to achieve their goals because of a misunderstanding of the values and principles guiding each culture or an inaccurate appraisal of the real situation. 450. In consultation with the public and private bodies concerned, Saudi Arabia carefully studied the recommendations made during its review. Having considered whether their acceptance would contribute to the development of the Saudi human rights environment, it had decided to accept most of the recommendations. The reasons for non-acceptance of a few recommendations are explained in document A/HRC/11/23/Add.1. 451. Being aware that the acceptance of recommendations entailed considerable endeavours for their implementation, Saudi Arabia would continue its efforts in keeping with its belief that the realization of human rights was an integral part of the obligations that Islamic sharia commanded Saudi Arabia to fulfil. 452. The ongoing development process and political will had taken the form of sustainable development programmes to promote and protect human rights. Reference was made to some examples illustrating what had been achieved during the period following the discussion of the report on Saudi Arabia on 6 February 2009. 453. In the judicial field, royal decrees had been promulgated calling for the establishment of a supreme council of the judiciary, a supreme court, a council of the administrative judiciary and a supreme administrative court. These developments fell within the new statutes of the judiciary, which strengthened the independence of the judicial authority, established specialized labour, criminal and commercial courts and recognized the principle of two levels of jurisdiction. 454. New statutes for municipal councils currently being formulated would take into consideration the experience gained from the current municipal council elections, expand the scope of participation by citizens in the management of local affairs and develop the electoral process. 455. The consultative council had also approved the Prevention of Human Trafficking Act, which met international standards for the prevention and punishment of human trafficking. 456. Regarding the expansion of participation by women, a woman had been appointed assistant mayor of the city of Jeddah, the second largest city in Saudi Arabia. Women had also been appointed as vice-ministers, university president, deputy ministers and deans of faculties, and the number of female counsellors in the consultative council has been increased from 6 to 12. Provision had been made for women to engage in all commercial and industrial and service activities without exception, in the same way as men. 457. Within the framework of the endeavours made to prevent violence against women and children, a national register had been established to record cases of domestic violence, and numerous courses had been held to train judges, public prosecutors and police officers to deal with such cases. 458. A directorate-general for the promotion and protection of the rights of expatriate workers had been established in the Ministry of Labour to provide such workers with urgent assistance, either directly or through telephone hotlines, and also to publish, in various languages, awareness-raising information concerning their rights and obligations. The State had guaranteed the 7 million expatriate workers in Saudi Arabia full freedom to GE.09-16766 127