A/HRC/39/5 75. The delegation reaffirmed the commitment of Cabo Verde to gender equality, stating that 58 per cent of those who had benefited from the Housing for All project had been women and that the National Plan to Combat Gender-based Violence included specific complaint and awareness-raising measures concerning the trafficking of women. The Government had set up programmes to protect victims and strengthen investigative and repressive measures. Article 148 of the Penal Code had been altered to provide further protection for children. Educational programmes had also been updated in order to promote gender equality. 76. Namibia welcomed the establishment of the Office of the Ombudsman and the revision of the Penal Code to criminalize trafficking in persons and forced prostitution. It urged Cabo Verde to provide resources to the Office and to implement the provisions of the Penal Code, calling on the international community to provide its assistance. 77. Nepal lauded the steps Cabo Verde had taken to bring the National Human Rights Institution in line with the Paris Principles, to adopt the National Gender Equality Plan and the National Action Plan to Combat Gender-based Violence and to develop social protection system and initiatives to protect children’s rights. 78. The Netherlands commended Cabo Verde for having issued a standing invitation to special procedure mandate holders and for its efforts to ensure adequate access to reproductive health services. It expressed concern about the persistence of violence against women and prison conditions, noting that it would welcome additional steps to improve prison conditions. 79. The Niger applauded the ratification of the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture. It welcomed efforts to adopt the Document for Growth and Poverty Reduction and the National Immigration Strategy for Development. 80. Nigeria acknowledged the efforts Cabo Verde had made to promote human rights, particularly the rights of children and persons with disabilities, and commended it on its cooperation with the human rights mechanisms and the steps it had taken to strengthen legal frameworks to combat human trafficking and to ensure the rule of law. 81. The Philippines applauded the measures Cabo Verde had taken to criminalize human trafficking, ensure redress mechanisms for victims of trafficking and align national legislation with the Rome Statute. It welcomed efforts made under the National Immigration Action Plan (2018–2020), expressing concern about the high incidence of poverty, particularly among rural women. 82. Portugal welcomed the efforts Cabo Verde had made to improve human rights, particularly the adoption of the Second National Human Rights and Citizenship Plan, the ratification of the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural rights and measures to strengthen gender equity and equality. 83. Rwanda praised the adoption by Cabo Verde of the National Gender Equality Plan, the extension of a standing invitation to special procedure mandate holders and strengthened cooperation with the treaty bodies. Noting progress in combating discrimination and violence against women, it encouraged Cabo Verde to enhance those efforts through relevant laws. 84. Senegal welcomed the efforts Cabo Verde had made to ratify international instruments, particularly the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, to bring the National Commission for Human Rights and Citizenship into line with the Paris Principles and to adopt national plans, notably to fight human trafficking and to eliminate child labour. 85. Serbia commended Cabo Verde for the steps it had taken to implement recommendations from the previous cycle and to cooperate with the human rights mechanisms, and encouraged it to continue that ongoing cooperation with the United Nations. 86. Singapore acknowledged the measures Cabo Verde had taken to combat human trafficking, revise the Penal Code, establish the Interministerial Commission for the 9