A/HRC/15/7 penalty, in place since 1995. It noted that legislation did not fully reflect the principles and provisions of CRC, including the minimum age for criminal responsibility. It made recommendations. 78. Singapore referred to the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Lesotho as one of the highest in the world. It welcomed the draft bill on children’s protection and welfare, currently being discussed in Parliament. It acknowledged Lesotho’s success in promoting a gender perspective, including through the establishment of the Ministry of Gender and the development of a Gender Policy and a Unit for Gender and Child Protection. 79. The Sudan welcomed Lesotho’s accession to a number of human rights instruments and protocols. The national report reflected the efforts made to protect the family, combat crime, alleviate poverty and improve school curriculums as well as the well-being of youth. It commended the emphasis placed on education and noted that the literacy rate had reached 84.4 per cent. It noted that Lesotho suffered from the phenomenon of female genital mutilation, referring to the increasing numbers of people infected with HIV/AIDS, in particular young people. The Sudan made a recommendation. 80. The Libyan Arab Jamahiriya noted that initiatives such as Vision 2020, the poverty reduction strategy paper and the Vision and Strategy for the Justice Sector would enhance progress in the economic, social and political areas, as well as human development. It highlighted legislation and policies concerning the protection and well-being of children. It noted Lesotho’s problems in the area of child labour and the commercial exploitation of children, and asked about its implementation of the programme to eliminate child labour. It made recommendations. 81. Mozambique noted that Lesotho had ratified at least 13 international and regional legal instruments, including ICCPR, ICESCR, CERD and CRC. It noted the policy to promote the rights of the people with disabilities, enacted five years previous, and encouraged the Government to proceed vigorously with programmes aimed at containing and reversing the spread of HIV/AIDS. The practice of commuting the death penalty to life sentences was one to be continued. 82. Nepal noted that the Office of the Ombudsman was empowered to investigate any malpractice in administrative offices, while the Police Complaints Authority investigated alleged human rights violations by police personnel. Nepal was pleased to note that a Human Rights Unit had been established within the Ministry of Justice, Human Rights and Correctional Service, and it welcomed the plan to establish a national human rights commission. It commended efforts to promote gender parity and noted the success achieved in ensuring high representation of women at various levels of government. Nepal made a recommendation. 83. Chad congratulated Lesotho on the clear presentation of its national report. It noted with satisfaction that Lesotho was a party to most of the core human rights instruments, whether regional or international. Chad made recommendations. 84. Burkina Faso encouraged Lesotho to continue its efforts to strengthen and improve the situation, suggesting that it request the support of the relevant international bodies, particularly for technical assistance and capacity-building, as indicated in its national report, inter alia; to submit the national reports under the instruments to which Lesotho was a party; to improve the effectiveness of its legal system; and to bring its efforts into line with the Paris Principles. Burkina Faso inquired about the strategies planned to apply the fundamental precepts of human rights in rural areas in order to assist the population in achieving the necessary balance between customary law and constitutional and international principles. 12