A/HRC/28/16 70. Angola commended progress in economic, social and cultural rights, particularly regarding housing. 71. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela commended improvements to social protection programmes. 72. Armenia welcomed the promotion of dialogue between religions and protection of children’s rights. 73. Australia welcomed commitment to building a democratic rules-based society. 74. Austria expressed concern regarding restrictions to freedom of assembly and regarding the excessive use of force. 75. Azerbaijan commended efforts to promote dialogue between religions. 76. Bahrain commended the new Constitution and the legislation adopted in compliance with international obligations. 77. Bangladesh commended legislation to ensure gender equality and action on health care. 78. Belarus noted Egypt’s success in implementing the recommendations of the first cycle. 79. Minister Tellawy of the Egyptian delegation explained that Egyptian women played a crucial role during transitional phases, noting that the Constitution of 2014 refers to women's rights in some 20 articles, including on women's rights to hold leadership positions, equality in the workplace, protection from violence and provisions for financial, social and health support to vulnerable and poor women. Since June 2013, additional measures have been adopted to ensure that women are protected by law and in practice. Notably, Egypt is about to adopt a new law on violence against women; has criminalized violence against women in the Penal Code; is considering the adoption of a national strategy on violence against women; has established a special unit at the Ministry of the Interior to deal with issues related to violence against women; has created a hotline for complains; and set up some 32 different units to ensure gender equality in the workplace. A number of national programmes have also been developed to fight illiteracy among women and facilitate their integration in the workforce. Egypt has also criminalized female genital mutilation. Despite these actions, women still face several challenges, particularly social and cultural difficulties that were negatively reinforced during the rule of the Muslim Brotherhood, which attempted to change or abolish many acts of legislation that had been adopted in favour of women. Egyptian women expected international support during this difficult time, yet several countries supported the Muslim Brotherhood. 80. Ambassador Hisham Badr noted that engagement with civil society was a key pillar in the political and social transitional process, and that civil society was a natural partner for the Government. He said there were 47,000 NGOs in Egypt, working without any interference or restrictions, and that the right to freedom of assembly and association were enshrined in the new Constitution, which provided for the establishment of NGOs by notification, forbade any intervention in their affairs and confined their dissolution to a court order. A new association law, to be adopted by Parliament, was being discussed with civil society organizations, of which 800 had been consulted so far. On 26 October, the Ministry of Social Affairs announced that it would facilitate the registration process of unregistered NGOs. The High Committee on legislative reforms was currently studying a number of laws, including a transitional justice law, a law on the Statute of the National Council for Human Rights, the establishment of a high commission for equality, the definition of torture in line with the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT), an electoral law and a draft law on unions. 8