A/HRC/10/78 Page 11 more than 50 local committees on gender equality. Serbia had adopted a law on the prevention of discrimination against persons with disabilities and a strategy for the improvement of the situation of persons with disabilities for 2007-2015. Serbia signed the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Optional Protocol thereto, and a procedure for ratification was under way; the law on the employment and professional rehabilitation of persons with disabilities and the strategy for child protection against violence were about to be adopted. In 2005, the Law on Health Care established the right to health care for vulnerable groups, including the Roma. Numerous strategies and plans of action had been adopted in that regard, such as the poverty reduction strategy, the national action plan for children, the action plan for improving the health of the Roma, the national plan against tuberculosis and the strategy for the improvement of juvenile health. Since 2006, the Ministry of Health, in cooperation with Roma non-governmental organizations, had been implementing a plan on Roma health protection. According to the Constitution, conscientious objectors could serve their military duty without the obligation to carry weapons. There were 1,730 institutions and organizations for civil service. The civil service lasted nine months and 49 per cent of conscripts had opted for it. 34. Austria stressed that both the Human Rights Committee and the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights had expressed concerns about widespread discrimination against Roma in all areas of life. The Representative of the Secretary-General on the human rights of internally displaced persons had noted that problems in obtaining documents were particularly acute for the Roma. Austria recommended that measures to ensure registration of all Roma in Serbia be strengthened. It also recommended that, in line with the recent recommendation of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, all corporal punishment be expressly prohibited, including in the family. Serbia was asked to elaborate further on measures taken to put an end to practices that could amount to torture or ill treatment against children with disabilities in institutions, as recommended by the Committee in 2008. 35. Brazil commended Serbia for the approval of its Constitution guaranteeing fundamental human rights, the ratification of many human rights instruments and the issuance of a standing invitation to special procedures. Brazil noted that, as a multiethnic country, it was important that Serbia pay special attention to minority issues. Brazil acknowledged the achievements made by Serbia in the field of human rights, especially given the challenges faced by a country in a postconflict situation. It recommended that Serbia consider poverty reduction strategies, from which minority groups could greatly benefit, reach the human rights goals set by the Council in its resolution 9/12, and consider ratifying the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. 36. Norway appreciated the State’s cooperation with the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on the situation of human rights defenders during her visit in 2007. In her report, the Representative recognized a number of positive developments but also expressed concern about verbal and physical attacks against human rights defenders. In line with the recommendations in the report, Norway recommended that the Government forcefully denounce such attacks and that State authorities in such cases give human rights defenders legitimacy through supportive statements. It also recommended that the Government investigate and take appropriate action on reports of violations against human rights defenders. Following the Representative’s recommendations, Norway recommended the adoption of a national plan or strategy on human rights with specific measures for the protection of human rights defenders and their activities, including the protection of defenders in vulnerable positions, such as women defenders and those defending lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights.