A/HRC/8/45 Page 8 25. On the question of establishing an ombudsman for children, Ukraine stated that the Constitution provides for the establishment of a single ombudsman institution to control Parliament in respect to all human rights. There is a separate unit for children’s rights within the Office of the Ombudsman, with separate components for boys and girls to ensure upholding gender equality. This institutional structure received the support of the Athens Conference of European Ombudsman. There are regional ombudsman offices in three regions and new offices will be opened shortly in half of the provinces. The Ombudsman submits its report and its recommendations to Parliament, which adopts binding decrees. The Ombudsman supports the idea put forward to create a body for the prevention of torture and the need to complete the establishment of a juvenile justice system. The representative also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by Cuba to the children victims of Chernobyl. 26. Regarding human rights in places of detention, in April 2008, the President approved the concept for the reform of the State Department on the Enforcement of Sentences, which includes provisions concerning the right to life, health, education, employment, and to ensure that upon their release, detained persons may realize their rights. Detainees do not only represent the multi-ethnic state of Ukraine; 32 countries are represented among the prison population, and contacts with the embassies of these citizens reveal that no complaint about their treatment has been received recently. A manual on human rights has been developed and the question of detention is regularly examined by the national monitoring bodies and NGOs. Ukraine also referred to the development of additional inspections and the introduction of probation and alternative sanctions. 27. The Government recently approved a special programme to combat corruption, which is being presently carried out. The principle responsibility for anti-corruption activities lies with the Ministry of Justice, which include the preparation of draft legislation to strip officials of privileges and immunities, and the monitoring of new anti-corruption laws. The role of the law enforcement agencies is crucial, including the Ministry of Interior, and the General Prosecutor’s Office. Recent trends point towards an improvement. As regards the independence of judges, draft legislation has been submitted to Parliament amending the status of judges and the judiciary in general. This draft legislation includes amendments to the law on the appointment of judges, which is to be done by the council of judges without the participation of the executive branch, and on lifting immunity of judges for acts not related to their profession, and to simplify the process of bringing judges to criminal and administrative responsibility. 28. As regards the elimination of racism, Ukraine has developed legal tools and the mechanisms to implement these regulations, facilitating the elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and intolerance. At present, 90 percent of the work is preventive in nature and aimed at educating people, and only 10 percent is punitive. Community councils include representatives of refugees and migrants’ organizations with a view to implementing the migration policies. 29. In Ukraine there are all conditions necessary for preservation and development of Russian culture and language, in particular, in place. About 40 per cent of printed mass media in Ukraine is published in Russian. Programmes of the Russian Federation’s Public television are broadcasted. Besides, the overall percentage of Russian broadcasting of the regional TV and radio companies makes up from 5 to 90 per cent depending on the region. For example, 56 per cent of TV and radio broadcasting of the “Crimea” State TV and Radio Company is in Russian, as well as 74 per cent of radio broadcasting and 89 per cent of TV broadcasting of Sevastopol district TV and Radio Company. In 31 higher education institutions there are training programmes on Russian language and literature. The libraries contain almost 60 million of books in Russian. Within the framework of the Committee on humanitarian cooperation of the Ukrainian-Russian Interstate Commission there is a sub-commission for cooperation in the area of cultural and linguistic needs of national