A/HRC/8/37* Page 11 39. Azerbaijan welcomed the “A” accreditation of the Office of Ombudsman and the results of its activities dealing with discrimination against indigenous populations and on cases of torture. It indicated the need to further advance its activeness in the human rights domain and achieve more tangible results. Azerbaijan noted that while Peru has extended a standing invitation to special procedures mandate holders, the visits requested by the Special Rapporteur on right to food had not been agreed upon and asked if Peru was considering consenting to such visits in the near future. It also asked when Peru intended to address the legal vacuum arising from the lack of national legislation aimed at regulating the activities of private security companies operating in the international market. 40. France noted that there were nearly 3,000 outstanding cases of forced disappearance dating from the period of the civil war. France enquired what measures Peru had envisaged to take to shed light on these cases. France encouraged Peru to sign and ratify the International Convention on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and implement all recommendations made by the TRC, in particular with regard to victims’ compensation and institutional reforms. 41. The United States of America noted that the National Coordinator of Human Rights, the Episcopalian Conference and the Peruvian National Evangelical Council were removed by Supreme Decree from their observer status in the National Council for Human Rights and expressed concern that such avenue for dialogue between civil society and the Government was closed. It requested information on what the Government was doing to foster such dialogue, especially with NGOs, and recommended that the Government demonstrate its commitment to coordinating with civil society, including NGOs, academics and research institutions, as it develops and implements domestic human rights policy. The United States also noted reports of violence and intimidation of the media in 2006 and 2007 and noted that corruption, drug trafficking and the activities of the Shining Path are dangerous subjects for reporters and that harassment involves State authorities and private groups. It asked what the Government was doing to prosecute legal cases related to such offences. The United States recommended that Peru expedite prosecution of these cases, impose penalties for government officials convicted of these offences and publicly demonstrate support for freedom of expression by denouncing violence against and intimidation of media. The United States also asked what the Government was doing to discourage acts of discrimination against Afro-Peruvians and to promote upward mobility in terms of economic and social status. 42. Italy recognized the National Human Rights Plan as a significant advance, but expressed concern about the recent discussion of draft legislative initiatives on expanding the scope of the application of the death penalty and recommended that Peru maintain the de facto moratorium on death penalty with a view to abolishing it in the medium term. While noting the importance of the 2007 Law on Equal Opportunity between Men and Women, Italy referred to women’s difficulties in accessing justice. Regarding the rights of children, and despite progress made by the National Plan to eliminate child labour, Italy expressed concern at the abusive working conditions in which thousands of children and adolescents find themselves. Italy recommended that in accordance with the conclusions adopted in 2006 by the Committee on the Rights of the Child, Peru strengthen its efforts to stop child labour and promote the social reintegration and education of child and adolescent victims of such abuses. 43. Brazil noted efforts made in combating discrimination and in the area of the rights of women and persons with disabilities, as well as the efforts made to fight impunity and to promote access to justice. Brazil enquired about main steps taken in the promotion of the rights of the child; measures regarding the issue of human rights defenders; the status of Peru’s implementation of its international commitments against torture; and further information on the achievements of the TRC