A/HRC/12/50 human rights awareness-raising campaigns, ILGA-Europe asked about the means by which this would be done, and called for inclusion of civil society in the development, execution and evaluation of such campaigns. Commending Malta’s policy on sexual health and education, it recommended that sexual orientation and gender identity be explicitly included and that civil society be involved. 322. Interfaith International indicated that Malta was a transit crossroads for potential immigrants to other countries in the European Union. It recalled that Argentina and Sweden had called upon Malta to bring its legislation concerning the detention of migrants into line with international standards. Interfaith International stated that Maltese law systematically placed migrants, most of whom were asylum-seekers, into detention centres for a maximum period of 18 months in congested and unhygienic conditions. It recommended that appropriate measures be taken to deal with the distress of these vulnerable people. 323. The International Commission of Jurists welcomed in particular the recommendations regarding administrative detention of migrants and asylum-seekers and access to justice and procedural safeguards for detained migrants. While welcoming Malta’s timely response to the recommendations, it regretted its rejection of recommendation 40 on the legal consequences of the use of the term “prohibited migrants”, in particular, administrative detention. The Commission recalled that, while Malta, because of its geographical position, faced large-scale migration, it must respect its international obligations in its migration policy, particularly those arising from international human rights and refugee law. It expressed concern at the automatic resort to administrative detention of asylum-seekers and migrants and at the excessive length of such detention, even if entry was in contravention of domestic law. It urged the revision of Maltese legislation and policy on the detention of migrants and asylum-seekers in accordance with the principle of proportionality. It recommended that Malta ensure that such detention was only resorted to where necessary, subject to a clear legal maximum duration and regular judicial review. It urged for measures alternative to detention to be provided for in primary legislation, and that procedural safeguards be effectively guaranteed to asylum-seekers and all other migrants. In particular, it recommended that Malta provide free legal assistance, where necessary, to those subject to administrative detention or other measures, regardless of their status as asylum-seekers and in appeal and review proceedings. The Commission urged Malta to improve conditions in its detention centres in accordance with the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights and the Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment. 4. Concluding remarks of the State under review 324. The delegation of Malta thanked the speakers for their additional comments and reiterated the State’s commitment to taking their views under serious consideration and to continue working to fulfil Malta’s obligations to the greatest extent possible. 325. Citing comments relating to the situation of migrants, the delegation reiterated that Malta was committed to dealing with the issues, bearing in mind the fullest respect for the rights and dignity of the individuals concerned. Malta was committed to ensuring the fulfilment of its international obligations. New Zealand 326. The review of New Zealand was held on 7 May 2009 in conformity with all the relevant provisions contained in Council resolution 5/1, and was based on the national report submitted by New Zealand in accordance with the annex to Council resolution 5/1, paragraph 15 (a) (A/HRC/WG.6/5/NZL/1); the compilation prepared by OHCHR in 111

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