A/HRC/15/40 reform bodies53), academic commentators,54 and women’s groups and other nongovernmental organizations. The scale of the problem and its persistence is clear. Despite significant reforms, the international community has fallen short of its goal of eliminating discriminatory laws and practices by 2005. In 2010, in all regions of the world there are still many instances of laws that clearly discriminate against women in their terms and assumptions, and in all countries there are laws which indirectly discriminate against women or which are implemented in a discriminatory manner. IV. Options for action: conclusions and recommendations 52. The issue is thus what additional steps the United Nations human rights system might take to stimulate further reform of discriminatory laws and enhance domestic monitoring processes to identify new laws that discriminate explicitly or that are discriminatory in impact or implementation. The contribution by the United Nations system through existing mechanisms and practices, and any new steps that might be adopted, can only be part of any solution. United Nations bodies can contribute to the identification of laws that discriminate (including by providing tools for analysis); facilitate the sharing of model laws and best practices in legislation and implementation; provide technical assistance; and support the work of national governments, parliaments, national human rights institutions and others. However, the main impetus for reform must come from the national level. A. Human Rights Council 53. The steps taken by the Human Rights Council to ensure that women’s rights issues and gender integration are addressed have created a space for discussion on topical matters affected by the lack of equality of women and men before the law: one example is the attention that was given to maternal mortality and morbidity at its fourteenth session. This should be continued, refined and strengthened by ensuring follow-up. The identification of “gender focal points”, in the form of a group of selfidentified States, has been suggested in plenary panels and merits further consideration. 54. The Human Rights Council may wish to consider requesting regular updates on the extent and nature of laws that discriminate against women and good practices in eliminating these, drawing upon the findings of the United Nations human rights machinery and the broader United Nations system. 55. An earlier report of the High Commissioner for Human Rights made a number of suggestions as to how gender perspectives could be better integrated into the universal periodic review (UPR) process.55 An evaluation of how the State under review has met its obligations to eliminate laws discriminating against women could 53 54 55 14 available at http://www.cidh.org/pdf%20files/bolivia.07.eng.pdf. The Commission also publishes special reports on women’s rights in particular countries and thematic reports on women’s human rights. For access to a searchable database of the reports of Commonwealth law reform bodies, see the Law Reform Project database of the World Legal Information Institute at http://www.worldlii.org/int/special/lawreform/. See, for example, Fareda Banda, “Project on a mechanism to address laws that discriminate against women” (2008), available at http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/women/documentation.htm. A/HRC/12/46, paras. 55-59.