A/HRC/18/3 Council of Europe Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. Slovenia made a recommendation. 29. Egypt inquired about any visits by special procedures to be organised. While recognizing the legal apparatus to combat racism and xenophobia and that the fight against racism was among Belgium’s priorities, Egypt expressed concerns at the lack of specific provisions prohibiting the promotion and incitement to racial discrimination. Egypt expressed concern over the federal implementation of policies addressing child sexual exploitation and over the ban on headscarves in schools. Egypt made recommendations. 30. Afghanistan welcomed the establishment of the National Commission for the Rights of the Child in 2005 and steps taken to promote equal opportunities and combat racism. It took note that some challenges in the fields of the Rights of the Child and gender equality still remained on the ground. Afghanistan asked what further measures Belgium took to combat racism. Afghanistan made recommendations. 31. Indonesia welcomed the fact that a monitoring mechanism to forcible removals was being developed and that efforts were being made to increase the number and quality of facilities for asylum-seekers. It also commended efforts to combat racism, in particular through action by the Centre for Equal Opportunity and Action to Combat Racism. Indonesia made recommendations. 32. While commending Belgium on the adoption of an action plan to combat trafficking in human beings, Germany asked how Belgium had followed up on the recommendations by the Human Rights Committee to address the insufficient means to assist victims of trafficking. Germany also inquired on how Belgium followed up on the Committee on the Rights of the Child’s recommendation on the state of health of children from the most disadvantaged families and on punishing corporal punishment. 33. Sweden welcomed the positive developments regarding refugees and asylumseekers in Belgium. It, however, noted the poor conditions in closed centres for migrants and the occurrence of use of excessive force during expulsion of migrants. Sweden asked Belgium to elaborate on further measures to enhance the conditions for asylum-seekers and migrants. It also asked Belgium to elaborate on the question of prison overcrowding. Sweden made recommendations. 34. Portugal referred to the observations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child on female genital mutilation and the fact that the law prohibiting this practice remained largely unknown. It asked about steps taken to raise awareness and combat the practice. Portugal noted that a national human rights commission had not yet been established. It made recommendations. 35. Belgium reported that the possibility of creating a national human rights institution was under consideration and that existing specialized human rights mechanisms were being analysed with that aim in mind. 36. Belgium was on the verge of ratifying the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and had begun the process of ratifying the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Belgium was not in a position to ratify the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families because that instrument conferred the same rights on undocumented migrant workers as on documented ones, which contravened European and national migration policies. 37. Belgium looked forward to ratifying the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture. As to the establishment of a national preventive mechanism, Belgium was exploring the possibility of expanding the mandate of one of its existing institutions, among other options. 6 GE.11-14583