A/HRC/39/7 and the Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families. 87. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela applauded the State’s social protection plans for older people and persons with disability, the medical care policies for rural dwellers, mothers and children, and the national system for development goals focused on employment and social protection. 88. Yemen welcomed the efforts made by Uzbekistan to strengthen human rights, particularly its adoption of the action strategy on five priority areas of development and the strengthening of the constitutional guarantee with regard to submitting complaints with the authorities. 89. Afghanistan commended the Government of Uzbekistan for its efforts to empower the Office of the Human Rights Commissioner, and encouraged the State to take further action to promote and protect human rights. 90. Algeria commended the State for its implementation of the programme of action to combat human trafficking and the inclusion of all the categories of human rights in its action strategy on five priority areas of development, and encouraged Uzbekistan to monitor the outcome of steps taken. 91. Brazil commended Uzbekistan for its continued efforts to reduce poverty, to provide access to education and health and to combat infant mortality and malnutrition. It encouraged the State to extend a standing invitation to the special procedures. 92. Armenia encouraged Uzbekistan to expand human rights training and education. It noted the State’s use of modern information and communications technology in its dialogues with the public, and encouraged Uzbekistan to strengthen public and civil society dialogue in the implementation of human rights programmes. 93. Australia commended Uzbekistan for its decree against forced labour and for its progress in the protection of freedom of expression. It welcomed the measures taken by the State to improve the situation of human rights of detainees and to strengthen protection against ill-treatment and torture. 94. Azerbaijan praised the achievements of Uzbekistan in its incorporation of international human rights standards into the national education system. It commended Uzbekistan for the progress made in delivering public services in a transparent and efficient manner. 95. Belarus praised the comprehensive and systemic approach taken by Uzbekistan to implement human rights policy through its action strategy on five priority areas of development and the measures taken to promote employment, improve the quality of public services and increase cooperation with OHCHR and its regional office. 96. The delegation of Uzbekistan stated that the country was endeavouring to guarantee the rights and freedoms of journalists and to strengthen the freedom of the media to operate. The persecution of journalists was not an issue, as reflected in the comment by Lithuania to the effect that no journalists were currently detained in the country. 97. With regard to issues relating to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons, Uzbekistan, like the other States members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, wished to preserve family values and was therefore not planning to amend article 120 of the Criminal Code. 98. With regard to the urban-rural divide mentioned, Uzbekistan gave priority to various recommendations on decent housing. A nationwide programme launched in 2016 had led to the construction of 18,000 well-equipped buildings and the renovation of 130,000 buildings in rural areas. Furthermore, a one-off “rental amnesty” had been designed to facilitate the establishment of property title. Other steps were being taken to implement economic and cultural changes that would benefit all rural dwellers, relating, inter alia, to the rights to decent work, education and affordable health care. 99. Determined efforts were being made to reduce statelessness. Over the past five years, 1,500 stateless persons had been granted Uzbek citizenship. Moreover, efforts were 9