A/HRC/8/52 page 157 449. Switzerland, as a member of the troika together with Saudi Arabia and Gabon, stated that it was in a good position to observe the serious attitude and commitment shown by Brazil during the review. Switzerland noted that Brazil has accepted the 15 recommendations submitted to it, which shows its high ambitions in the area of improving the situation of human rights in the country. Switzerland stressed two issues taken up during the interactive dialogue that appear in a number of recommendations. Firstly, as children are a particularly vulnerable group in Brazil, Switzerland welcomed Brazil’s commitment to implement quickly the programmes related to the situation of children. The other issue deals with the assessment of the implementation of programmes and national action plans Brazil has launched, and Brazil has made the voluntary commitment to establish new instruments to monitor human rights at the national level and to introduce human rights indicators. Drawing up annual national reports including on follow-up to the universal periodic review, is another of its voluntary commitments. Switzerland will follow with great interest the way in which Brazil will translate these objectives into actions at various levels of the Federation. Switzerland remains convinced that civil society will continue to provide a valuable contribution to this process. 450. The Syrian Arab Republic expressed its appreciation of Brazil’s transparency and collaboration with different human rights mechanisms, including the Council. Brazil’s acceptance and endorsement of the various difficult recommendations made to it is a clear testimony of its determination to promote and protect human rights in their different manifestations and interpretations, despite the burden of development in the last two decades. This includes, inter alia, continuing and intensifying efforts to reduce poverty and social inequality, to improve prison conditions, to enhance access to justice, and to adopt the law on access of citizens to public information. 451. Angola welcomed Brazil’s efforts to concretely improve the situation of human rights through its cooperation with the United Nations system and its willingness to accept several recommendations made during the review. Angola noted that Brazil is showing great progress towards improving the situation of human rights, by making the voluntary commitment to create new tools to monitor human rights, which include a national system of human rights indicators and annual reports on the situation of human rights. Angola welcomed policies to improve the life of African descendants and minorities, and to promote gender equality. These strategies will help Brazil to face the challenges that still exist in these areas. Angola noted with satisfaction that Brazil considers the right to education a fundamental tool for the fight against poverty and social exclusion, concurring with Brazil’s position that education and development strategies can be the key to solving regional and economic inequalities and racial, ethnic and gender issues. Angola expressed its appreciation for Brazil’s engagement to reduce poverty and social inequalities. 3. General comments made by other relevant stakeholders 452. Conectas Human Rights noted its involvement in the review process of Brazil. Although it appreciated the corrections made to the report to be adopted by the Council, Conectas Human Rights noted that some important observations had not been included and that it did not reflect the answers provided by Brazil on the measures to improve the situation of human rights defenders and on challenges and commitments for 2010. Conectas Human Rights asked how