A/HRC/13/56 recommendations to address the lack of judicial independence was a first positive step. The Commission highlighted the fact that the fulfilment of the Government’s human rights obligations would require guaranteeing the rule of law. 722. The Open Society Institute noted Equatorial Guinea’s support for recommendations to combat corruption and improve accountability and transparency. The Government had to be encouraged to fully carry out these recommendations. It urged the Government to monitor and report, in consultation with civil society, on progress made in relation to the implementation of recommendations, in particular the extension of transparency principles to the budgetary process, the publication of the national budget, the clear identification of foreign bank accounts, verifiable declaration of assets by Government representatives and accession to the United Nations Convention against Corruption. 723. The Centre for Economic and Social Rights noted that the Government should implement recommendations calling for the distribution of national resources to eradicate poverty and guarantee economic and social rights to the entire population. Implementation should be accompanied by the establishment of an international and national monitoring system, with the participation of civil society. It regretted the rejection of recommendations regarding the implementation of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders and the elimination of requirements for legalizing non-governmental organizations. It encouraged the Government to ratify the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and to issue a standing invitation to special procedures mandate holders. 724. Human Rights Watch noted that the universal periodic review had served to highlight the conditions of repression and deprivation in Equatorial Guinea. The Government had failed to engage with civil society in the universal periodic review process and used, inter alia, burdensome non-governmental organization registration and reporting requirements to hinder the capacity of civil society to engage in human rights. There was no legally registered human rights group in the country. It acknowledged that the Government had accepted many of the recommendations, but noted with concern that promises made in the past had failed to affect the Government’s behaviour. It highlighted the need for followup mechanisms with civil society participation and international monitoring to translate the recommendations into action. 725. Rencontre africaine pour la promotion des droits de l’homme welcomed the acceptance of most of the recommendations, but regretted that the authorities had not authorized the Special Rapporteur on torture to visit detention centres to investigate real detention conditions and the inhumane treatment inflicted upon certain politicians and opponents to the authorities. Several human rights defenders and press organs had paid a heavy price for their commitment to open the country to democratic processes. It called on Equatorial Guinea to guarantee the independence of the judiciary and the national human rights commission, authorize without unjustified restriction the registration of human rights organizations and commit to human rights awareness-raising and education. 726. The Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network commended Equatorial Guinea for accepting the majority of the recommendations. It welcomed the acceptance of the recommendation in support of human rights education and training, which would help ensure that authorities would be able to respond more effectively to the needs of all members of society, including women, children and those who had been marginalized because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. It encouraged Equatorial Guinea to take steps to ensure that there was no legal and social discrimination on these grounds. 727. Amnesty International welcomed the support of the Government for a number of recommendations, including on ending the practice of abducting Equatorial Guineans exiled in neighbouring countries, which were relevant in the light of reports of the 187