A/HRC/34/10 would enhance the credibility of reports submitted to the Working Group and the willingness of their authors to take responsibility for them. 8. The delegation indicated that the Government had involved various stakeholders in the second periodic review of Uganda, including the Cabinet, Parliament, whose involvement was mandatory under the country’s laws, and civil society organizations. The process had been participatory and consultative and had culminated in the production of the national report submitted to the Working Group. 9. The report addressed issues relating to the status of implementation of voluntary pledges and agreed recommendations made during the first review. It also provided a synopsis of key developments in human rights since 2011. 10. As for its voluntary pledges, Uganda had finalized a draft national action plan that would shortly be submitted to Cabinet for approval. The plan, once approved, would provide a broad policy framework for the promotion and protection of human rights and for the implementation of commitments under various regional and international human rights instruments. Reports prepared by the Uganda Human Rights Commission and the Equal Opportunities Commission were submitted annually to Parliament for review, and recommendations were made that were implemented by the Government and other relevant stakeholders. Institutionally, the Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights played an oversight role, while the Cabinet Subcommittee on Human Rights provided appropriate policy guidance. A technical committee provided technical support to the Cabinet; in addition, there were human rights focal points who coordinated implementation efforts in each government ministry, department and agency. 11. The delegation stressed that various agreed recommendations from the first peer review had been or were being implemented. The Prevention and Prohibition of Torture Act, adopted in 2012, had incorporated the provisions of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment into the domestic legal order. Consultations were under way with respect to the policy and institutional issues that must be addressed before the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture could be ratified. 12. In connection with the justice system and law enforcement and public order, the Uganda Police Force, the Uganda People’s Defence Force and the Uganda Prisons Service had each established a human rights directorate to handle human rights issues, including complaints from the public about any of their respective serving officers. Those directorates were also responsible for building in-house human rights capacity and ensuring strict adherence to the country’s regional and international human rights obligations and standards. 13. The judiciary had introduced plea bargaining and improved access to legal aid services. A mandatory alternative dispute-resolution system was being used to expedite the resolution of civil disputes. In addition, the number of judicial staff had been increased to reduce case backlogs, performance targets had been set for them and new juridical areas had been created throughout the country. The Constitution (Sentencing Guidelines for Courts of Judicature) (Practice) Directions, 2013, had been adopted. 14. The independence of the key governing institutions had also been strengthened. For instance, under article 23 (6) (a) of the Constitution, the courts were empowered to release on bail persons arrested for committing criminal offences. The Uganda Human Rights Commission, under article 54 of the Constitution, could independently investigate any human rights violations and, where confirmed, recommend that the Director of Public Prosecution take appropriate action. The President, under article 60 (1) of the Constitution, was empowered to nominate the members of the Electoral Commission, who were approved by Parliament. During vetting of nominees by Parliament, any member of the 4