A/HRC/11/22* Frequent natural disasters with harsh consequences on infrastructure are burdensome. Azerbaijan recommended that Cuba continue its policy of tolerance and respect towards all religions, without any distinction; consider the ratification of the ICRMW; and noting broad participation of civil society in preparation of Cuba’s national report, promote the active participation of civil society in the follow-up to UPR. 99. Djibouti welcomed Cuba’s signature of ICCPR and ICESCR, and its being a party to 41 important international human rights instruments. It noted the large number of programmes aimed at increasing social equity and justice, particularly those which target the excluded and discriminated people from the colonial times. It welcomed the particular attention given to the problem of vulnerability as a result of detention and assistance measures provided in addition to free healthcare for prisoners. It commended Cuba’s work in the area of international solidarity and cooperation. Djibouti benefits from the assistance of Cuba in a number of sectors, specifically in the area of health. It recommended that Cuba continue to develop programmes under way to make university studies more universal; share its experience and good practice in guaranteeing the right to education for all Cubans and in the promotion and protection of the right to health, which has yielded encouraging and positive results, particularly taken into account their under development status; and share its experience in the area of primary maternal and child health and programmes to control epidemics and to provide assistance to people who are infected by HIV/AIDS. 100. Palestine praised the legal protection framework for human rights in Cuba. Palestine noted that Cuba has signed and ratified a number of internationally legally binding human rights instruments. Palestine noted that the judicial system in Cuba is also vital for the protection of human rights, in line with international standards. Palestine further noted that the collective and individual independence of judges is enshrined in all appropriate texts. Palestine noted the progress made by Cuba in economic, social and cultural rights. Palestine recommended that Cuba continue supporting the right to self-determination and independence, particularly its support to the Palestinian cause to put an end to foreign occupation; and continue to promote and protect the right to development. 101. Sudan commended Cuba for the great achievement in economic, social and cultural rights and civil and political rights. Sudan is impressed by advances in education, with universal coverage free of cost at all levels, which surpassed the six aims of the UNESCO Education for All programs. Cuba has fulfilled its human rights obligations worldwide by playing an exemplary role in the establishment and operation of the Council. Sudan recommended that Cuba share with all United Nations members, particularly the developing countries, its experiences of international cooperation in terms of the promotion of the right to health; continue to promote initiatives in defense of international solidarity, both at the Human Rights Council and at the Third Committee of the general Assembly, with a view to promoting and protecting human rights; and continue to defend and promote initiatives in favour of all developing countries, in particular, those aimed at the full implementation of the right to development. 102. Bangladesh commended Cuba’s continued efforts to promote human rights and the significant strides made in improving the socio-economic standards of the Cubans. It congratulated Cuba on its achievement of MDGs 2, 3 and 4 and noted that it was poised to attain MDGs 1, 5 and 6 by 2015. Cuba has achieved enviable results in ensuring access to education, health and social protection for all, and could be a model for South-South cooperation by sharing its best practices in education, health, employment protection, disaster mitigation and gender mainstreaming. Bangladesh recommended that Cuba share its experiences and best practices in building a robust and efficient healthcare system with other countries aspiring to have similar health architecture; broaden the scope of its cooperation in sharing and replicating its home-grown methods of combating illiteracy; and 18 GE.09-16273