A/HRC/24/5 rights protection system, it was noted that in 1999 the Constitution had established the ombudsman (Provedor de Justiça) as an independent organ, elected by Parliament and with powers to receive complaints regarding action or inaction of public officials, and make recommendations. In 2003 the ombudsman’s Statute had been approved by law. 9. Cape Verde recalled that to promote the incorporation of human rights into the social fabric, the National Human Rights Committee (CNDH) had been established in 2001 and that in 2004 it had evolved into the National Commission for Human Rights and Citizenship (CNDHC). In follow-up to the recommendation received in 2008, a study had been carried out with a view to preparing a draft of the new Statute of CNDHC which would be in full compliance with the principles relating to the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (Paris Principles). Draft legislation to approve the new Statute would be presented to Parliament. 10. With regard to technical cooperation, Cape Verde noted the Government’s continuous cooperation with international and regional human rights mechanisms highlighting a number of recent training events it had participated in, concerning, inter alia, the ratification of international instruments and national human rights institutions. It was stressed that such action had been carried out with the objective of realizing, as determined in resolution 9/12 of the Human Rights Council and with international assistance, a plan for its fulfilment of its international obligations, particularly with regard to preparation of the various reports under the conventions that it had ratified. 11. With regard to the relative delay in submission of reports to treaty bodies, Cape Verde explained that it had already submitted reports under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). Its first reports under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and the seventh and eight CEDAW reports are in translation and should be transmitted soon. It was added that a mechanism, involving all entities implicated in the framework of the international instruments ratified by Cape Verde, to work on ensuring the regular presentation of reports, will be created soon. 12. Cape Verde then provided information on ratification of international conventions. 13. With regard to the recommendation to ratify the Convention against Discrimination in Education, Cape Verde stated that, although the process for its ratification had not yet been concluded, its legislative framework incorporated, to a large extent, the legal regime therein enshrined and referred to the Constitution and the Framework Act on the Education System. It noted particularly that compliance with the principle of non-discrimination in education was evident as equal access to all education levels was a reality in the country. Cape Verde then referred to statistical information in that regard. 14. Cape Verde also noted that though it had not ratified the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, ratification should take place in the first half of 2013 in view of the clear political will of both the Government and Parliament. 15. Additionally, Cape Verde informed the Human Rights Council that the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (OP-CEDAW) had been ratified in 2011 and had entered into force in 2012. 16. Cape Verde then recalled that it had signed the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (CPED) in 2007 and that it expected to ratify that instrument during the first half of 2013. Ratification would require 4