A/HRC/37/4 Government’s strong commitment to end the institutionalization of children. It also appreciated efforts to train officers working with vulnerable children. 103. Romania appreciated the measures adopted following the second review cycle and asked if, after almost three years since the adoption of the Strategy for Equality between Women and Men 2014–2020, there had been a midterm assessment of its implementation. 104. The Russian Federation was seriously concerned about violations of the rights of national and ethnic minorities in Czechia, poor conditions in temporary camps for refugees and the conditions of detention in prisons and in pretrial detention facilities. 105. Senegal noted the great political will Czechia had shown in its efforts to implement the recommendations accepted during the second review cycle, particularly its ratification of several international human rights instruments and the measures aimed at combating all forms of discrimination. 106. Serbia was pleased with the activities relating to Roma integration and commended the steps aimed at monitoring and assessing the Roma Integration Strategy. It encouraged Czechia to continue to look for ways to ensure the most effective protection for victims of discrimination. Serbia welcomed the measures taken to increase gender equality. 107. Sierra Leone encouraged Czechia to intensify its efforts to implement the Roma Integration Strategy, to standardize identification and protection measures for victims of trafficking, to ratify the Istanbul Convention and to quell hate speech and Islamophobia. 108. Slovakia welcomed the adoption of the Roma Integration Strategy and the Inclusive Education Action Plan, and the amendments to the Schools Act and the migration policy strategy. It also welcomed the amendments to the Criminal Code, providing for punishment of racially motivated crimes and the prohibition of discrimination against persons with disabilities. 109. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela welcomed the delegation of Czechia. 110. The delegation of Czechia stated that the Roma Integration Strategy, which had been adopted in 2014, covered education, employment, housing, health and social services, the life of the Roma as a national minority and their public participation. The Department for Social Inclusion established local strategic social inclusion plans through local partnerships with municipalities. 111. Czechia had adopted the National Strategy to Protect Children’s Rights 2013–2018 and had made legislative amendments, for example to the Social and Legal Protection Act, introducing provisions indicating that institutional care was a measure of last resort that could be applied by court decision only. Institutionalization of children under the age of 3 was still possible, but alternatives were considered. The commercial sexual exploitation and prostitution of children were criminalized as human trafficking, and non-commercial sexual abuse of children constituted a specific criminal offence with an aggravating circumstance, entailing a more severe punishment. Child victims fell into the category of particularly vulnerable victims and enjoyed reinforced legal protection. 112. There was a system of alternatives to detention for asylum seekers under both the Asylum and Aliens Acts, detention being a measure of last resort. Detention of families had been rare since 2016, and the detention of asylum-seeking families was prohibited under the Asylum Act. Foreigners and asylum seekers were not detained in regular prisons. The funding of detention centres had increased. 113. Overcrowding in prisons was still an issue, and alternatives to detention, such as electronic monitoring system and increased use of monetary punishments, were sought. Improvements to prison conditions were under way, including regarding pretrial detention. 114. In conclusion, the Deputy Minister thanked Czech civil society and the Ombudsman, who had contributed to the implementation of the recommendations received during the previous cycle, and the delegations for their questions, comments and recommendations, which would provide additional impetus to efforts to overcome the challenges that remained. Czechia was proud of its achievements in the field of human rights, while recognizing the challenges the country continued to face, including with 10