A/HRC/44/16 56. Bangladesh commended the cooperation of Guyana with international human rights mechanisms and appreciated the Green State Development Strategy. It also appreciated the policies and strategies to improve basic social services, including health, education and safe drinking water. 57. Responding to questions related to the International Labour Organization Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, 1989 (No. 169), the delegation of Guyana indicated that its domestic law offered protection to indigenous peoples and incorporated, to some extent, the provisions of the Convention. Furthermore, it noted that, under article 149G of the Constitution of Guyana, indigenous peoples enjoyed the right to protection, preservation and promulgation of their languages, cultural heritage and way of life. 58. Regarding the ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, pursuant to article 141 (1) of the Constitution, no person should be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading punishment or other treatment. Several mechanisms had been established to safeguard the rights of all individuals within its territory. 59. In response to a question related to electoral procedures and the observance of constitutional requirements on the holding of elections in the context of the general elections of 2 March 2020, the delegation stated that the Elections Commission was an independent constitutional body and that it was committed to ensuring that the elections would be free, fair, transparent and credible. 60. The Government of Guyana had submitted several pledges to the High-Level Segment on Statelessness convened by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (Geneva, October 2019) to address the concerns of migrants and returning Guyanese. 61. In terms of access to legal aid, a legal aid office had been established under the Support for Criminal Justice Programme, which, together with other offices, had increased access to legal aid services. Furthermore, legal experts travelled to regions in which there were no offices to ensure the provision of such services. 62. The delegation also responded to questions related to the establishment of the Human Rights Commission in Guyana and indicated that the matter remained a priority of the Government and that there was a commitment to address it through a consultative process in the context of the implementation of the Constitutional Reform Consultative Commission Act (2017) once it had become law. 63. Barbados recognized the attention paid by Guyana to critical issues such as climate change, gender relations, governance, poverty reduction, rural development and the rights of children and youth. 64. Benin welcomed the progress made by Guyana in the field of the promotion and protection of human rights. 65. Botswana noted with appreciation the measures taken by Guyana to ensure access to justice, including the functioning of legal aid clinics in four regions of the country, and called upon Guyana to continue allocating resources to establish such clinics in the remaining regions. 66. Brazil welcomed the de facto moratorium on the death penalty and encouraged Guyana to take the necessary steps for its total abolition. It also encouraged Guyana to take steps to address the rise in maternal mortality rates and welcomed the launch of a national plan of action for the prevention of trafficking in persons. 67. Canada welcomed the positive steps taken by Guyana to eliminate discrimination against women and to promote gender equality through the development of a national gender and social inclusion policy in 2018. It encouraged the Government to enhance the protection of the fundamental human rights of minorities. 68. Chile recognized the efforts of Guyana to ensure that all children enjoyed the right to education by prohibiting child labour and supporting parents. It congratulated Guyana for 7