A/HRC/24/3 any of its social obligations. The salaries of public workers, pensions and social benefits had increased and the Government continued to provide privileges to cover housing, utilities, transportation and communication costs, and free-of-charge electricity, natural gas, water and salt, as well as fuel subsidies to private car owners. Additional budget allocations for salaries and academic payments had been introduced to boost scientific innovation and strengthen the scientific capacity of the country. 13. The delegation stated that the Government had taken measures to strengthen its reporting to the treaty bodies of the United Nations. The Interdepartmental Commission on the implementation of international human rights obligations had organized various events with the objective of studying international best practices and experiences in the protection of human rights and freedoms. The Interdepartmental Commission maintained an active dialogue with the Regional Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), UNICEF, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and other agencies of the United Nations, concerning the preparation of national reports, implementation of recommendations of treaty bodies and carrying out of joint activities. Due to the work of the Interdepartmental Commission the preparation and submission of periodic reports to the treaty bodies and reports to the Human Rights Council mechanisms had been carried out in a timely manner in recent years. 14. Turkmenistan had participated in international cooperation on the protection of the rights and best interests of the child. Furthermore, the National Programme for 2011-2015 on early development and preparation of the child for school had been adopted by presidential decree in 2011. The General Programme on development of the juvenile justice system was also adopted in 2012. 15. The joint project of the European Commission, OHCHR and UNDP entitled “Strengthening the national capacity of Turkmenistan to promote and protect human rights”, which was initiated by the Government with the objective of further strengthening meaningful dialogue on the protection of human rights, had been implemented in cooperation with the National Institute of Democracy and Human Rights under the President of Turkmenistan. As part of this project, the Information Centre on human rights had been established at the National Institute of Democracy and Human Rights under the President of Turkmenistan. Similar centres had been opened at higher educational institutions in all regions to increase the awareness of public employees, scientists, students, civil society members and other interested parties in the area of human rights. Also as part of the Project a national plan of action on human rights was being drafted. 16. The delegation stated that the above measures demonstrated the commitment and readiness of Turkmenistan to implement its human rights obligations. It stressed that Turkmenistan had been steadily implementing the objectives set by the President to further strengthen the independence, neutrality, sociopolitical stability and national unity of the country as well as protect human rights and freedoms, ensure social justice and the wellbeing of the people, and the further democratization of the society. B. Interactive dialogue and responses by the State under review 17. During the interactive dialogue, 77 delegations made statements. Recommendations made during the dialogue are to be found in section II of the present report. 18. Romania noted the submission of all overdue reports to the human rights treaty bodies, and welcomed ratification of the Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons and the Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness. Romania made a recommendation. 5