A/HRC/15/60 guaranteed universal access and fought school dropout rates through social subsidies. It encouraged Turkey to continue these successful policies. 547. Pakistan was pleased to note Turkey’s acceptance of most recommendations and the process for establishing a national human rights institution in full compliance with the Paris Principles. Pakistan commended Turkey’s ongoing human rights reforms, especially its anti-discrimination laws, to promote tolerance and inclusiveness, as well as its efforts to combat trafficking in human beings. Pakistan valued Turkey’s international efforts to support interfaith dialogue and its readiness to continue to make them. 548. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland welcomed the result of the recent referendum on constitutional reform and encouraged its prompt implementation and that of other reforms. It noted the improvements made in equality and nondiscrimination legislation, and the efforts to address torture and the disproportionate use of force by the police. Turkey’s acceptance of a large number of important recommendations was welcomed, including ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and the development of a national preventive mechanism. It encouraged Turkey to consider the positive realization of the right to freedom of expression by abolishing or revising articles 301 and 318 of the penal code. 3. General comments made by other relevant stakeholders 549. Mouvement contre le racisme et pour l’amitié entre les peuples and the International Educational Development and International Alliance of Women, in a joint statement, regretted Turkey’s persistent failure to recognize ethnic and other minorities, and the restrictions imposed on freedom of expression under the Anti-terrorism Act. They encouraged Turkey to continue and strengthen its efforts in the field of human rights, including to protect women and girls against violence and discrimination, to reduce impunity and to ensure the independence of the judiciary. 550. Amnesty International urged Turkey to issue guidance to the courts for implementing amendments to anti-terrorism legislation, end the prosecution of children in the adult criminal justice system, and investigate all allegations of torture and ill-treatment of children. It called for progress in its commitments to establish a national human rights board, an independent police complaints commission, an equality and non-discrimination commission and a national human rights institution. It called on Turkey to commit to continue legal reforms necessary to guarantee respect for freedom of expression, including the repeal of articles 301 and 318 of the penal code. 551. The Islamic Human Rights Commission welcomed the changes made in the past eight years in Turkey, in particular in the domain of combating torture and the treatment of minorities. However, the treatment of Muslim women wearing a headscarf remained unchanged, despite the fact that 70 per cent of Muslim women in Turkey wore one. It mentioned a recent decision by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women in this regard, and urged Turkey to abolish the headscarf ban and provide these women with the same rights that other Turkish citizens enjoyed. 552. Sudwind Entwicklungspolitik expressed concern about Turkey’s unwillingness to withdraw its reservation to article 27 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights on minority rights and articles 301 and 318 of the penal code legitimizing the harassment and persecution of human rights defenders. Missing and killed people were not accounted for. It urged Turkey to devote more attention to regular and participatory political processes to solve conflicts peacefully and end aggression against the Kurds. It referred to the refugee situation, and in particular, to the financial and other difficulties facing asylum-seekers from non-European countries. GE.11-17043 165