A/HRC/27/11 initiated the implementation of the 2012 ASEAN Human Rights Declaration, including the publication of a book on the Declaration and its translation into all the ASEAN languages. Furthermore, the 23rd ASEAN Summit, held in October 2013, adopted the ASEAN Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women and Children and the Declaration on Strengthening Social Protection. Brunei Darussalam continued to support the work of the relevant ASEAN bodies related to human rights. The progress made by ASEAN over the past year demonstrated Brunei Darussalam’s commitment to working together with its neighbours and partners, especially in the field of human rights. 22. The delegation reaffirmed Brunei Darussalam’s commitment to its international obligations and indicated that Brunei Darussalam would be ratifying the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in the near future. In 2012, Brunei Darussalam submitted its combined initial and second periodic reports to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women and its combined second and third periodic reports to the Committee on the Rights of the Child in 2013. The delegation stated that Brunei intended to withdraw its reservations to Article 20, paragraphs 1 and 2, of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) relating to the protection of a child without a family, and Article 21 (a) on adoption, and that it was working towards ratifying the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict (OP-CRC-AC). Furthermore, in support of global efforts towards abolishing child labour and as recommended during the first UPR cycle, in 2011, it ratified the International Labour Organization (ILO) Minimum Age Convention (No. 138). 23. Brunei Darussalam appreciated the values of peaceful co-existence, mutual respect and cooperation and would continue to welcome technical assistance from international partners and, at the same time, play its part in providing assistance, including financial support, capacity-building and technical cooperation, through various means, such as the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Co-operation, the Initiative for ASEAN Integration and the Enrichment Projects for ASEAN. Brunei Darussalam offered scholarships to foreign students to pursue higher-level education in its various academic institutions; to date, nearly 400 scholarships had been awarded to students from over 63 countries. It also actively contributed to the initiatives of several United Nations bodies such as World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, UN-Women and United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). Brunei would continue to lend its support in the best way it could. 24. The delegation further highlighted that, being a small State of 400,000 people, Brunei Darussalam had very limited human resources and would appreciate assistance with capacity-building from international organizations. B. Interactive dialogue and responses by the State under review 25. During the interactive dialogue, 78 delegations made statements. Recommendations made during the dialogue can be found in section II of the present report. 26. The Syrian Arab Republic commended the importance attached in national programmes to preservation of the family as a core unit of society as well as action in support of the advancement of women, as evidenced by their election to the Legislative Council. 27. Thailand commended Brunei Darussalam’s progress towards ratification of CRPD and the provision of equal education opportunities. It acknowledged women’s representation in the Legislative Council and the Government’s promotion of women’s rights through the ASEAN Committee on Women and gender equality programmes. 6