A/HRC/42/12 17. The Republic of Moldova congratulated Costa Rica for presenting its first voluntary national review on the Sustainable Development Goals. It welcomed the ratification of several human rights instruments and the progress made on women’s rights and empowerment. 18. Rwanda welcomed the steps taken by Costa Rica to implement the recommendations from the previous review cycle, including through the adoption of human rights legislation and policies, particularly to promote gender equality and social cohesion. 19. Senegal noted the ratification by Costa Rica of several international human rights instruments. It also welcomed measures to update labour legislation, reduce poverty, combat racial discrimination and protect foreign workers’ rights. 20. Singapore commended the efforts of Costa Rica to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, its policies to protect women and girls and its commitment against racism and xenophobia, in particular the 2015 Constitutional amendment recognizing the multi-ethnic and multicultural character of the State. 21. Slovenia applauded Costa Rica for its leadership in the adoption the Regional Agreement on Access to Information, Public Participation and Justice in Environmental Matters in Latin America and the Caribbean. Slovenia was concerned about the low prosecution rate of cases of violence against women. 22. South Africa welcomed the commitment of Costa Rica to the Sustainable Development Goals, the promotion of the rights of people of African descent and the establishment of a mechanism for consultation with indigenous peoples. 23. Spain welcomed the establishment of the high-level commission responsible for ensuring the implementation of the Criminalization of Violence against Women Act and noted with satisfaction the progress on access to drinking water and sanitation. 24. The State of Palestine welcomed the efforts made by Costa Rica in the area of education, including several legislative initiatives in that regard, and the improvement of the juvenile justice system. 25. Switzerland welcomed the adoption by Costa Rica of the National Policy for Addressing and Preventing Violence against Women 2017–2032. 26. The Syrian Arab Republic thanked Costa Rica for its national report and made recommendations. 27. Togo welcomed legal and institutional measures to ensure equal rights for the whole population, particularly women, children, refugees and migrants. It encouraged Costa Rica to strengthen national action for refugees. 28. Trinidad and Tobago commended Costa Rica for its ambitious climate action. It noted the adoption of the amendments to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court on the crime of aggression (Kampala amendments), the Bridge to Development strategy to reduce extreme poverty and the Get a Job programme for youth employment. It encouraged Costa Rica to develop an action plan to implement the National Policy for Effective Equality between Women and Men 2018–2030 and to further combat human trafficking. 29. Tunisia noted that Costa Rica had strengthened its legislative and institutional human rights framework and its labour and social security systems. It welcomed national action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. 30. Ukraine welcomed the ratification by Costa Rica of almost all the universal and regional human rights instruments, the reaffirmation of its commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and the development of the National Policy for Effective Equality between Women and Men. 31. The United States of America commended the significant progress made by Costa Rica in reducing child labour and its work to address the situation of migrants and asylum seekers. It encouraged the Government to improve legal processes for those seeking refuge. 4