A/HRC/21/11 The State, he said, is obliged to provide free legal assistance whenever necessary. The Judiciary has decided to simplify the process for criminal cases involving women in vulnerable situations or older persons. 87. Congressman Domingos Dutra, President of the Human Rights Commission of the House of Representatives, presented significant progress in the legislative sphere, mentioning examples such as the law creating the National Truth Commission; the law ensuring Access to Information; and Draft Constitution Amendment 438, on the expropriation of properties where slave labour is practised. He expressed commitment to the approval of the bill creating the National Mechanism for the Prevention of Torture, the bill for the protection of human rights defenders and the bill prohibiting corporal punishment of children and adolescents. 88. The International Advisor of the Ministry for Promotion of Racial Equality, Magali Naves, highlighted successful policies for the promotion of racial equality. The 2010 Census, she noted, recorded an increase in the number of people who identify themselves as black, as well as an improvement in their education and income figures. However, due to the persistence of racial inequality, more efforts are required to foster their social inclusion. In 2010 the Federal Government approved the Racial Equality Statute, which resulted in guidelines and 20 specific programmes to combat racism in several government areas for the four years to come, and the National System for Racial Equality Promotion, aimed at decentralizing policies and taking them to the local level. An intergovernmental forum and a national ombudsman have also been established. 89. Concerning trafficking in persons, the Special Advisor to the Minister of Justice, Marcelo Veiga, presented the National Policy to Combat Human Trafficking, coordinated by the Ministry of Justice in cooperation with civil society. The policy gave rise to the first National Plan to Combat Human Trafficking, which has been in place since 2007. The Plan includes measures to combat sexual exploitation, slave labour and the abuse of women and children. The delegate stated that in the last five years, Brazil had established 15 centers to combat human trafficking in different federal states and to provide victims with free legal, psychological and social assistance. The Government is currently finalizing the Second National Plan of Action against trafficking in persons, which has already been widely discussed with civil society and international organizations, and includes specific action in borders and other key areas. 90. Egypt recognized the accession by Brazil to most international conventions and standing invitation to special procedures. Egypt encouraged Brazil to guarantee the rights of indigenous peoples and to cooperate with international mechanisms vis-à-vis human rights defenders. It made four recommendations. 91. Estonia commended the ratification by Brazil of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and both protocols to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the participation of women in political life. Estonia encouraged Brazil to address domestic violence, maternal mortality rates, the freedom of the press and the independence of the judiciary. Estonia made recommendations. 92. Finland welcomed the efforts of Brazil to promote the rights of LGBT persons, and noted that the ruling of the Brazilian Supreme Court concerning the constitutionality of same-sex unions was considered very important. It noted that continued reports on homophobic crimes and violence indicate that additional measures are needed and asked what legislative measures and steps were being taken to combat these crimes. Finland made recommendations. 93. France welcomed the ratification by Brazil of the main human rights instruments, the standing invitation to special procedures, its fight against poverty, and the establishment 11