A/HRC/31/16 been reduced. The fundamental aim was to lift more people above the poverty threshold and give them the opportunity to make a greater contribution to the national development effort. 8. The delegation expressed hope that the delay in implementation of recommendations not be construed as a lack of interest or volition, but rather as a severe paucity of essential resources. Since the previous review, domestic developments aimed at enhancing the standard of living of citizens had been incremental. 9. It stated that, since the previous review, general elections had been held in Saint Kitts and Nevis on 16 February 2015, which ushered in a new administration. During the Throne Speech of the new Governor General, Sir Tapley Seaton outlined the focus of the newly installed Government. He reiterated the continuing commitment of the State to human rights, in spite of the transmission of leadership. 10. The delegation subsequently provided information on multiple initiatives, projects and programmes that had been successfully implemented. 11. The delegation indicated that, a few months after the first review of Saint Kitts and Nevis, the Ministry of Health, Social Services, Community Development, Culture and Gender Affairs had partnered with the World Bank, the United Nations Children’s fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women) to launch national consultations on the National Social Protection Strategy, Plan of Action and Monitoring and Evaluation Framework. 12. The delegation underscored that, in the long term, it was envisaged that the Strategy would, inter alia, create a sustainable system for universal social protection coverage for the population, develop citizens who would become more self-sufficient over time and prevent chronic poverty. This Strategy, approved by the Cabinet in March 2012, is now being implemented. 13. On the situation of children, the Government of Saint Kitts and Nevis was pleased to report that, with the assistance of UNICEF, a consultant had been contracted by the Ministry of Health, Social Services, Community Development, Culture and Gender Affairs to review the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict and the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography and to make recommendations with respect to acceding to those instruments. The delay in the country’s accession to both Optional Protocols was largely owing to the findings of the consultant, who discovered that some existing domestic legislation conflicted with them. It was determined that, until some articles of the Defence Force Act, in particular, were amended or some sections repealed, the Government could not proceed with acceding to the Optional Protocols. The consultant’s report would be presented to the Federal Cabinet of Ministers for review and approval to support accession to the Optional Protocols. It was proposed that the process be completed within the first quarter of 2016. 14. The delegation reported on the formulation of the National Child Protection Protocol and Action Plan, which served as a practical instrument to assist in the prevention, reporting and management of child abuse, while the Action Plan would aid the development of a training and stakeholder outreach programme for the Protocol’s implementation. It also highlighted the adoption of new child protection legislation through public consultation. The delegation also indicated that progress had been made through the child-friendly schools policy and the positive behaviour management policy, drafted by the Ministry of Education. 15. It reported that the Domestic Violence Act of 2014 had classified sexual violence, rape and incest as serious offences, provided greater protection for victims of domestic 4