A/HRC/16/10 political parties and other key national actors. For the first time, a human-rights-based public policy and a national human rights plan of action would be implemented in the country, through the recently established State Secretariat of Justice and Human Rights. 9. In line with that policy, an open and standing invitation had been issued to all mechanisms and special procedures of the United Nations and the Organization of American States, including an invitation to the Office of the High Commissioner to open an office in the country. The goal of Honduras was to promote good practices and better monitoring for the promotion and protection of human rights. 10. Honduras indicated that the main and most pressing challenge was the need to ensure the protection of the right to life. The delegation referred to the violence affecting the country as a result of organized crime. The delegation described actions being taken to address that situation, but recognized that there was still work to be done and noted the need to define a strategy for guaranteeing the security of citizens as a human right. 11. The delegation indicated that Honduras had complied with all commitments undertaken within the framework of the Guaymuras Dialogue and the Tegucigalpa-San José Accord, among which was the establishment of a truth and reconciliation commission. 12. With regard to the main human rights issues, as raised by the High Commissioner for Human Rights and specific Rapporteurs, the delegation noted that Honduras had taken a series of actions to address them. The delegation provided information about, inter alia, measures to address impunity, to strengthen the independence and capacity of the Office of the Special Prosecutor for Human Rights, and to ensure that the national police respected human rights. 13. Honduras also referred to actions taken to comply with obligations arising from the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its two Optional Protocols, among which had been the establishment of legal, institutional and policy frameworks to address the problem of the sexual and commercial exploitation of children and child labour. 14. The delegation also noted challenges and the need to address poverty and strengthen the capacities of State institutions, and highlighted the need for support and technical assistance from the international community. 15. Regarding the situation of women in Honduras, the delegation described the legal and institutional framework and referred to gender-related policies and programmes to address the challenges faced by women, including the problem of violence, access to justice and political participation, as well as femicide. 16. The delegation referred to other priority areas to be addressed as part of the national human rights plan of action, such as the comprehensive attention that should be accorded to persons with disabilities, and the promotion and protection of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender groups, migrants and ethnic groups. Information on efforts to protect the right to health and to promote the right to education and food security was also provided by the delegation. 17. Honduras recognized the reality of the problem of racism and racial discrimination and its direct impact on the effective enjoyment of their human rights by indigenous and Afro-Honduran peoples. 18. In September 2009, Honduras had received a visit by the Subcommittee on the Prevention of Torture, which had recommended that the infrastructure of the penitentiary centres in Honduras be improved. The delegation reported that the Council of Ministers had already issued an Executive Decree allocating approximately $35 million for improving infrastructure and equipment at nine centres. The legislation providing for the national preventive mechanism referred to in the Optional Protocol to the Convention against 4