A/HRC/16/12 recognized the right to an ethical Government and obliged the Government to “take every step reasonable and necessary to conduct government in accord with a comprehensive code of ethics”. Universal and equal suffrage was also protected and promoted by the Government. This had been exemplified following the 2007 general elections, when allegations of misconduct had been raised against the Chief Electoral Officer. An independent Commission of Inquiry had been established shortly thereafter, which had criticized the then Minister of Internal Affairs for interfering in the civil service hiring process, which had resulted in the hiring of unqualified individuals to manage the election process. Participation in the Government process through representation had proved to work following the vote of no confidence on 12 October 2009 and the election of a new President by the Nitijela. 16. The Marshall Islands noted that, regardless of the legislative and policy gaps with respect to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, it would continue to work on capacity and technical constraints as a way forward towards the full implementation of both Conventions. 17. The Marshall Islands highlighted several major challenges that it faced with respect to the promotion and protection of human rights. The first such challenge was climate change. Given that it was an island nation with land only 2 metres above sea level, the adverse effects of climate change, particularly sea-level rise, were a human rights concern. Not only were lives at risk, but livelihoods, food security, economic security, educational security and health security were also threatened. Consequently, the impact of climate change could place significant demands on already scarce resources. 18. As a result of potential climate impacts, Marshall Islands citizens were likely to experience serious violations of fundamental international human rights as well as specific civil rights under their Constitution. Adverse effects of climate change on human rights could be direct, but were often indirect and gradual. The thin freshwater lens was an immediate issue with regard to the continued viability of the country’s islands. Adaptation actions that had been taken had not been sufficient, and the Marshall Islands was not in a position to assure its citizens of their basic rights over the long term. Consequently, more action by the international community was needed, including further analysis of protection mechanisms for those who might be permanently displaced owing to the inundation of lowlying island States such as the Marshall Islands. Furthermore, more cooperation, coordination and assistance were needed to ensure sustainable development in developing countries such as the Marshall Islands. International human rights law needed to complement the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change by emphasizing that international cooperation was not only expedient, but also a human rights obligation. The Marshall Islands continued to place emphasis on multilateral negotiations, but, given the uncertain progress, could no longer rely solely on political negotiations under the Convention to fully safeguard its essential human rights. 19. Thus, the Marshall Islands had recently engaged Columbia University's Climate Law Centre in New York to further explore a more structured approach to the complex issues regarding the long-term risks of climate change, including risks to its statehood, and to the threat of forced external and internal migration. Those long-term risks were very complex and had potential implications for human rights, territorial integrity, security and legal redress. The Marshall Islands hoped that Columbia University's international academic conference on this issue to be held early next year would result in a more coherent understanding on the part of international policy experts and decision-makers. 20. Long-term risks could be sharply reduced by immediate action that could be taken now. In that regard, the Marshall Islands had produced a 2010 national climate road map that outlined specific actions and strategies that could be taken, with international 5