A/HRC/8/41 Page 8 aggression remain serious concerns. China would like to know if the Government has adopted a package of measures to protect the rights and interests of women. 22. Morocco stated that despite the creation in 2006 of the Swiss Council of Religions (Conseil Suisse des Religions) certain initiatives targeting the Muslim community remain a source of concern. As the foreign population encounters more difficulties than Swiss nationals in the field of education, training and employment, Morocco wished that Switzerland reinforce its action in these areas and that it examine the possibility of ratifying the ICRMW. Morocco encouraged Switzerland to establish a national human rights institution in accordance with the Paris Principles 23. Slovenia noting that Switzerland still maintains several reservations to ICCPR and ICERD, requested information on the rationale behind this and asked if it intends to withdraw any of these reservations in the near future. It also asked if Switzerland is planning to establish a national human rights institution. When running for the Human Rights Council in 2006, Switzerland had as a voluntary pledge announced that it would contribute towards the development of a country-bycountry “Human Rights Index”; Slovenia requested Switzerland to provide an update on this issue. Slovenia recommended that Switzerland further address and enhance combating the root causes of discrimination, particularly of foreign migrant women, by removing legal and systemic obstacles to equal rights. It also recommended that Switzerland take measures to prevent that migrant women victims of sexual and domestic violence and/or trafficking are at risk of deportation, if such incidents are reported. Slovenia also recommended that Switzerland fully, systematically and continuously integrate a gender perspective into the follow-up process to the Universal Periodic Review. 24. The Netherlands recommended that Switzerland strengthen its efforts to guarantee equal opportunities in the labour market, in particular for women from minority groups. Noting that 20 per cent of the population are not Swiss nationals, the Netherlands asked whether the Government considers this fact as a potential problem and, if so, whether it expects to increase participation of minority groups and other non-nationals in politics. It recommended that Federal legislation be strived for to provide protection against all forms of discrimination, including on grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity, and that the Yogyakarta Principles be applied as a guide to enhance the Government’s commitment to non-discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity. 25. The Philippines supported Switzerland’s efforts to promote and enhance the positive effects of migration, and thanked it for its active role in promoting the Global Forum on Migration and Development. Philippines recommended that Switzerland consider ratifying the ICRMW, and establishing an independent federal national human rights institution in accordance with the Paris Principles. 26. United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was pleased to note that more than 100 NGOs were consulted in the process of preparation of the national report, and recommended that stakeholders be further consulted in the follow-up to the Universal Periodic Review outcome. The United Kingdom also recommended that a national human rights institution be quickly established in line with the Paris Principles. It enquired about the Swiss reaction to criticism to its legislation on foreigners, in particular on non-European citizens. While welcoming the entry into force of the Swiss Federal Civil Partnership Act, the United Kingdom recommended that additional steps be taken to ensure that same sex couples are not discriminated. It also asked for an update on the work of the Government towards the ratification of the Optional Protocol to CAT and recommended that this important instrument be ratified in the near future.