A/HRC/37/11 19. The Government had developed a plan on gender equality in 2015, which prohibited gender-based discrimination and was aimed at advancing the rights of women. It had adopted measures to ensure that women represented over 30 per cent of the ministerial positions in the new cabinet. 20. In 2015, the Government had developed a plan to promote the rights of the child. It had outlined the main objectives of the State policy on children and included a specific implementation plan. A special law had been adopted to address and punish perpetrators of child abuse. The Government had improved the protection of children in the judicial processes by providing legal aid and expanding alternative services to juvenile incarceration. The National Human Rights Commission of Korea had established a division for children and juveniles and the Child Rights Committee to strengthen independent monitoring of the implementation of the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. 21. The Government had been developing its third basic plan for immigration policy aimed at protecting the rights and social integration of foreigners without discrimination. The Government had approved the registration of a trade union of migrant workers and had put forward State-led support and care for the older persons. It had been working to improve relevant laws and institutions to effectively protect older persons against abuse and to progressively increase basic pension benefits. 22. The Government had been working to increase the official development assistance (ODA) and to make sure that programmes supported under that assistance take into account human rights issues. B. Interactive dialogue and responses by the State under review 23. During the interactive dialogue, 95 delegations made statements. Recommendations made during the dialogue are to be found in section II of the present report. 24. Germany noted that the Republic of Korea had announced several positive steps to strengthen human rights. It stressed the importance of the full abolition of the death penalty. 25. Ghana lauded the Government’s efforts to reinforce freedom of expression, independence of the media and prohibition of discrimination. It welcomed ongoing research on possible ratification of the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. 26. Greece noted the Government’s efforts to strengthen the independence of the National Human Rights Commission of Korea, to prohibit discrimination and to reinforce the rights to work, social security, education and health. 27. Guatemala thanked the delegation for the presentation of the national report and made recommendations. 28. Honduras urged the Government to incorporate recommendations from the universal periodic review in the next national action plan on human rights. It noted discrimination against migrants in employment. 29. India welcomed the 2016 amendments to the National Human Rights Commission of Korea Act. It noted the Government’s efforts to ensure equal conditions between regular and non-regular employment contract holders. 30. Indonesia commended the Government on the amendments to the National Human Rights Commission of Korea Act. It also noted amendments made to the Criminal Code to include human trafficking as an offence. 31. The Islamic Republic of Iran noted the establishment of a division on the rights of children and young people, in charge of protecting the rights of the child and to monitor the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. 32. Iraq noted the adoption of a law on combating racial discrimination and xenophobia and the progress made under the National Health Initiative. 4