A/HRC/42/2 principle of equality required instead the adoption of concrete policies and actions to ensure an effective compliance with the international standards. 738. In order to operationalize the right to free, prior and informed consent and ensure the participation of indigenous peoples in decision-making processes on issues that directly affected them, Costa Rica had established, with the help of the United Nations System, a “General Mechanism for Consultation of Indigenous Peoples”. Additionally, Costa Rica had continued to dialogue with indigenous peoples in order to end the conflicts related to land tenure through the “National Plan for the Recovery of Indigenous Territories of Costa Rica (PLAN-TRI) 2016-2022”. Costa Rica was also pleased to report the adoption, in 2018, of the law no. 9593, which constituted a paradigm shift in the administration of justice in relation to indigenous peoples in the country. The law assigned priority status to the procedures involving indigenous people and recognised their right to receive information in their mother tongue and have an interpreter paid by the State. It also provided the possibility for judges to order cultural assessments in order to take into account indigenous peoples’ customs and traditions. 739. Regarding the killing of the indigenous leader Sergio Rojas, the District Attorney and the judicial police were conducting the necessary investigations and Costa Rica was collaborating with the special procedure mandate holders to provide them with the information required on this case. Costa Rica also maintained an open invitation to special procedure mandate holders. 740. Costa Rican legislation prohibited all forms of child, early and forced marriage. In addition, Law 9406 on improper relations criminalized sexual relations with a minor when the latter was under 15 years of age, if the age difference with the partner was of five or more years, and when the minor was between 15 and less than 18 years old, if the age difference between the two was of 7 years or more. 741. Costa Rica also reported important progresses in the situation of the rights of LGBTI people and was pleased to report on a series of administrative measures aimed at combating discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity by ensuring nondiscrimination in public institutions and allowing gender identity in public documents. Costa Rica recognized the primary role that civil society had played in this process, together with actions undertaken by the State, such as the request of an Advisory Opinion to the InterAmerican Court of Human Rights on the incompatibility with the Inter-American Convention on Human Rights of the norms that prohibited marriage between two persons of the same sex. As a result, Costa Rica had taken the necessary measures to ensure that these norms were reformed or effectively repealed from the year 2020. 742. Costa Rica acknowledged that violence against women remained a challenge. It reaffirmed its commitment to women’s security and pledged to take strong measures in order to reduce the rates of femicide and violence against women and guarantee the sexual and reproductive health rights of this population. 743. Internationally, Costa Rica was recognized for its respect, protection and promotion of human rights and for its commitment to the principles of international human rights law. It was a country with a legislative and institutional environment characterised by the values of humanism, pluralism, participation and tolerance, which favoured the progressive realization of human rights. Costa Rica registered concrete advances in the promotion and respect of human rights. However, as in any democratic system, a number of important challenges remained, making necessary to build a culture of respect and non-discrimination. 111