A/HRC/8/37* Page 12 and steps taken and to be taken in this area. Brazil recommended to Peru to consider developing a national policy for the protection of human rights defenders which could consist of a national system for the protection of witnesses and human rights defenders. 44. Argentina highlighted Peru’s discussion on the right to truth and measures adopted in support of penal reform. Argentina enquired about the details and additional elements of Peru’s plan to improve the penitentiary structure. 45. Australia addressed the level of protection extended to human rights defenders in Peru and their ability to perform their functions in society. Highlighting that Amnesty International alleges that “human rights defenders continue to be threatened and intimidated because of their activities…and threats against them are rarely investigated,” Australia asked Peru how it responds to these observations. Australia recommended to Peru to ensure that human rights defenders, victims of human rights violations, witnesses, prosecutors, forensic experts, journalists and trade union workers be allowed to carry out their work freely without fear of intimidation. 46. Ecuador took note of efforts to overcome the criminal acts of the Shining Path and the steps towards the elimination of impunity. It also noted the Ombudsman’s Office and the Registry for Enforced Disappearances. It noted that Peru’s report indicated that 75 per cent of the victims of armed conflict belonged to indigenous communities and expressed their wish not to have these conflicts repeated among the Peruvian people. Ecuador requested further information on measures implemented and action taken, and on the results achieved in this regard. 47. In response to some of the questions raised, Peru stated that two bodies are devoted to reparations further to the TRC and the Integral programme of Reparations: the High Level Committee deals with collective reparations and the Council for Reparations prepares a registry of victims allowing for the provision of individual reparations. Both bodies depend directly on the President of the Council of Ministers, highlighting the interest of the State in this area. Peru added that in the last two years, the Council allocated about $US 37 million to comply with the functions of the integral plan of reparations, which guides the activities of the High Level Committee and the Council for Reparations. The collective reparations programme was launched in 2007 in an area greatly affected by terrorism. There is a commitment to provide reparations for victims of violence. Peru stated that additional detailed information on the reparations programmes can be found in the national report and in information already provided. 48. On the problem of identity documents, Peru stated that one of the major problems of exclusion (which is also related to terrorist actions in the past) is the lack of a document of legal identity; a significant number of persons, including minors, do not have a birth registration document or a national identity card. One of Peru’s priorities is therefore to guarantee the right to a name and identity for all persons, a legal right recognized in the Constitution. The RENIEC (Registro Nacional de Identificacion y Estado Civil) , which is the body responsible for this issue, is implementing the national plan for the restitution of identity called ‘Documentando a los indocumentados’ covering the period of 2005-2009 to ensure that all Peruvians can exercise their right to a national identity. The RENIEC also works with the poorest and with members of rural families. Finally, Peru mentioned that there is a special norm to facilitate the restitution of identity documents in places where the registers had disappeared. Regarding the question on access to health, Peru responded that there has been an effort made by the State with participative programmes to combat poverty. Poverty rates have been going down and Peru provided statistics in this regard. It drew attention, in this regard, to the valuable support provided by the Roundtable for Consultation on the Fight against Poverty, which included participation by the State and all relevant