A/HRC/30/8 denounced and condemned terrorist activities in the name of Islam. The Government announced that it had drafted an entirely new counter-terrorism and prevention bill that would make it a serious criminal offence for Maldivians to take part in any kind of armed activities overseas, except where the military or police officials operate under a formal arrangement. 19. The Government was currently implementing a strategy aimed at increasing awareness about the value of moderation, tolerance and the peaceful nature of Islam. It was also targeting other practices associated with radicalism, including the limited instances of underage marriage, forced marriage, non-vaccination of infants and lack of access to schools for children, especially girls. 20. The Domestic Violence Prevention Act, the Prevention of Sexual Harassment and Abuse Act and the Sexual Offences Act had strengthened the legal framework to protect women, children and migrants from violence and sexual abuse. The gender equality bill, which was currently in its final stages, once passed, would cement the national standards on gender equality and confirm that the policies and the legal framework were consistent with the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. The Disability Act had boosted the protection and rights afforded to persons with disabilities, giving them access to financial assistance, establishing regulations on minimum standards and the identification of persons with disabilities and making room for affirmative action, including in respect of access to gainful employment. 21. The Anti-Human Trafficking Act represented a milestone in combating trafficking, especially by affording protection to the large number of migrant workers in the country from exploitation. The National Action Plan to Combat Trafficking in Persons 2015–2019 had been finalized. The Government announced that on 27 April 2015 Parliament had approved accession to the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. 22. Maldivian women had had the constitutional right to vote since 1932. They also had equal pay, paid maternity leave and the same access to education and employment opportunities. The Government was concentrating on making women economically empowered by introducing targeted microloans, single mother benefits, home-based employment opportunities and day-care facilities. The Government aimed to empower women to become more productive citizens, in whatever capacity they chose for themselves, free from coercion or social pressure. 23. The progress that Maldives had made in the areas of governance and social and economic development could be fully realized and sustained over time by creating the necessary enabling institutions. Political tensions had arisen because the speed of institutional development had been slow and the institutional shape and structure envisioned in the Constitution was still not complete; the gap between socioeconomic growth and the emergence of strong political institutions had not yet been entirely filled. 24. The President’s comprehensive strategy for democracy consolidation aimed at transforming Maldivian society into a political community that was able to forge an overwhelming consensus on the acceptability of the political system. 25. A significant component of the democracy consolidation strategy was the justice sector strategic action plan, which recognized the judiciary’s continuous efforts to improve access to and the effectiveness and functioning of the system. The new Penal Code would play a pivotal role in achieving those targets. A legal profession bill was being drafted to implement the Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers. Several key pieces of legislation, such as the Anti-Torture Act, the Prison and Parole Act, the Anti-Money-Laundering and Terrorism Financing Act and the Extradition, Mutual Legal Assistance on Criminal Matters 5