A/HRC/14/37 577. The Charitable Institute for Social Victims noted that the human rights situation had clearly improved in recent years. The Iraqi people, however, still suffered from insecurity, chaos and poor economic and social conditions as a result of terrorist attacks, internal conflicts, international sanctions and occupation. It asked the Government to pay greater attention to the most vulnerable and to improve the economic situation in order to reduce poverty and inequality. 578. Organisation pour la communication en Afrique et la promotion de la cooperation économique internationale welcomed Iraq’s commitments to the universal periodic review and encouraged it to implement the recommendations. It noted those related to the fight against school dropout rates and illiteracy. It welcomed Iraq’s achievements in the promotion of human rights, particularly the rights of women and children. It encouraged Iraq to ratify the Optional Protocols to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women. It welcomed the progress achieved in the promotion of gender equality, and encouraged Iraq to implement women’s economic, social and cultural rights effectively. 579. The Al-Hakim Foundation indicated that the human rights situation in Iraq had clearly improved in recent years, especially when compared with the situation before 2003, which was marked by systematic human rights violations. It noted that Iraq had accepted most of the recommendations, and hoped that it would reconsider those that had not been accepted. It invited the Government of Iraq to pay greater attention to women and children, especially widows and orphans, and to implement economic development plans to combat poverty. 580. France Libertés : Fondation Danielle Mitterrand stated that Iraq continued to suffer violations of human rights. It referred to the humanitarian urgency of Camp Ashraf, and recalled the recommendation accepted by Iraq to ensure that abuses against minorities were duly investigated and prosecuted. It noted the deadly attack of July 2009 on Camp Ashraf. It regretted that the Iraqi authorities had not only failed to curtail threats, but also appeared to encourage them. It urged Iraq to lift restrictions on the camp and respect the human rights of its residents. It also reminded the United States of its obligations under the Fourth Geneva Convention. 581. The Institute for Women’s Studies and Research referred to the situation of Iraqi refugees and asylum seekers who, since 2003, had fled to neighbouring countries, where many of them had become homeless, had no legal residency rights and or proper jobs. It recommended that the United States of America should implement a comprehensive plan and a coordinated strategy to solve the crisis of Iraqi refugees, which should include the option of return. 582. Verein Sudwin Entwiklungspolitik encouraged Iraq to strengthen the protection of minorities, journalists and human rights defenders, ensure free participation in a fair and transparent election, and improve the situation of Iranian refugees. It called on Iraq to adopt an effective and inclusive process to follow up on the universal periodic review, which in itself would enhance the protection of the population. It regretted that Iraq did not favour the abolition or reintroduction of a de facto moratorium on the death penalty. It encouraged Iraq to establish a national human rights institution and to ratify the Optional Protocols to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. 583. In a joint statement, the Arab Lawyers Union, the Union of Arab Jurists, the General Federation of Iraqi Women, the Indian Movement Tupaj Amaru and the Educational Development and International Association of Democratic Lawyers indicated that major substantive recommendations had been ignored by Iraq, while the situation on the ground GE.12-17781 135