A/HRC/30/7 intercultural education. It welcomed the work of the national standing commission on human rights. It also welcomed the ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and encouraged Panama to continue its efforts to strengthen the national prevention mechanism against torture. Paraguay made recommendations. 45. Peru highlighted advances such as the establishment of the national standing commission on human rights, the creation of a vice-ministry for indigenous affairs, the ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and the International Convention for the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearance and the open invitation made to all special procedures mandate holders of the Human Rights Council. Peru made recommendations. 46. The Philippines welcomed the establishment of the national human rights institution, the recognition of the existence of racial discrimination against Afro-descendants, the increased labour participation of women, the improvements in legislation relating to human trafficking and the ratification of several core international human conventions. The Philippines made recommendations. 47. Portugal welcomed steps taken to protect human rights since the first review, such as the ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and the accession to the two conventions on statelessness. It was concerned, however, about the high levels of violence against women and children. Portugal made recommendations. 48. Romania congratulated Panama for progress made concerning fulfilment of the Millennium Development Goals, in particular on extreme poverty, and for the establishment of a national human rights institution. It made recommendations. 49. Rwanda welcomed the establishment of a national standing commission to ensure compliance with and follow-up on human rights obligations, its policy on equal opportunities for women and the reduction of poverty. Rwanda made recommendations. 50. Sierra Leone welcomed the conditional cash transfer and welfare programmes. It noted with concern the disparities between indigenous and non-indigenous communities regarding political participation. It urged Panama to enforce indigenous rights regarding political participation, establish a national policy that protects and promotes the rights of children and improve access to health care and education in rural areas and within indigenous communities. Sierra Leone made recommendations. 51. The Panamanian delegation indicated that its Government would soon approve the amendments to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court on the crime of aggression and on article 8. Moreover, the Government was preparing the necessary declarations to accept the competence of the Committee against Torture and the Human Rights Committee to receive individual communications regarding Panama. 52. The delegation outlined a series of social programmes that had been developed by the Government to fulfil its commitment on social inclusion for all citizens. The Government was persuaded that the incorporation of a human rights approach in the strategies on poverty reduction and development in general would strengthen them. 53. Panama has committed itself to generating statistics on the situation of persons with disabilities, to guide the drafting of public policies. The delegation also detailed a number of additional measures to ensure respect for the rights of persons with disabilities. 54. Singapore welcomed the laws criminalizing femicide, implementing the State policy on equal opportunities for women, halving the population living on $1 a day and increasing health standards. It noted with concern the wage gap between men and women. Singapore made recommendations. 8