A/HRC/29/5 30. The Government was strongly committed to upholding and ensuring human rights for its people; the delegation took careful note of the comments made during the UPR session, and Kiribati would continue to work hard in meeting its human rights obligations. However, the UPR process would amount to nothing if the major challenges posing serious threats to the basic human right of Kiribati people to survive were not also addressed in human rights bodies such as the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review. Climate change was the number one challenge. 31. The Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review and the Human Rights Council needed to focus and catalyse global action to address that major challenge to the right to survive, not only for Kiribati but for the global community, as they had done so well in respect of the rights of individuals, women’s rights, gender equality, the rights of the child, the rights of the disabled, and freedom of speech, worship and association. B. Interactive dialogue and responses by the State under review 32. During the interactive dialogue, 44 delegations made statements. Recommendations made during the dialogue are to be found in section II of the present report. 33. Estonia noted with appreciation that Kiribati had taken steps to implement the previous recommendations. Estonia invited Kiribati to guarantee access to public information and ensure that journalists and media workers could operate without fearing reprisals. It encouraged Kiribati to continue efforts to become a party to all of the main international human rights instruments and to issue a standing invitation to special procedures. Estonia made recommendations. 34. France encouraged Kiribati to mobilize to promote the universal abolition of the death penalty. It also encouraged Kiribati to accede to those international instruments to which Kiribati was not a party. France welcomed the drawing up of the national action plan on eliminating sexual and gender-based violence, and encouraged Kiribati to fully implement the plan. France made recommendations. 35. Germany commended the efforts of Kiribati to further strengthen human rights protection and implement the recommendations of the first UPR cycle. It expressed appreciation for the establishment of a dedicated task force on human rights and the adoption and elaboration of legislation and policies to counter domestic violence and protect the rights of children. Germany made recommendations. 36. Ghana noted the legislative measures taken by Kiribati to incorporate human rights principles into its national legislation and applauded the acts and policy measures enacted to improve education and the welfare of the family. It commended Kiribati for taking measures to address sexual and gender-based violence, promote the participation of women in politics and increase the number of women recruited into the Kiribati Police Service. Ghana made recommendations. 37. Indonesia noted with appreciation efforts taken by Kiribati to promote and protect the human rights of its citizens. It also noted with appreciation the ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2013, and that Kiribati was considering ratifying or acceding to other human rights instruments. Indonesia further noted efforts by Kiribati to reduce maternal and infant mortality. It made recommendations. 38. Ireland commended the country’s legislative reform in the field of children’s rights. It welcomed the work undertaken to implement the national action plan to eliminate sexual and gender-based violence. However, it remained concerned at the high level of such violence. Ireland recognized the extreme challenges faced owing to the effects of climate 8