A/HRC/29/7 7. The Government established the National Steering Committee on Human Rights in 2012, which led the preparation of the national report for the current review with the participation of all relevant Government agencies. Stakeholder consultations were held with civil society organizations, international non-governmental organizations and international development partners. 8. He emphasized the fact that the Lao People’s Democratic Republic had continued to improve its governance and public administration to be more effective, transparent, accountable and participatory and to provide better services to the people. The Government was currently implementing the Legal Sector Master Plan on the Development of the Rule of Law by 2020, taking into account the Declaration of the High-level Meeting of the General Assembly on the Rule of Law at the National and International Levels. In strengthening the rule of law, the National Assembly had adopted or amended more than 100 laws in the political, judicial, national defence, public security, economic, social, cultural and environmental domains. 9. He further noted that the constitutional amendment process was transparent and participatory. Inputs from the consultations were being studied and considered by the National Drafting Committee. The final draft amended Constitution would be made available for comments and inputs from the public. 10. The Government attaches importance to the prevention and combating of corruption through the implementation of the Law on Anti-Corruption, other related laws and legal instruments, particularly the decree on the declaration of assets for government officials at all levels. 11. He added that most of the Millennium Development Goals had been achieved or were on track to be achieved by the end of 2015, and that most of the recommendations from the first UPR cycle, especially those related to economic, social and cultural rights, such as the rights to health, education, food, housing, land, and the right to development and poverty reduction, had been progressively realized. 12. He also emphasized that the Government had put in place a policy governing the judicial sector in efforts towards ensuring the rule of law, equality before the law and the court, due process of law and fair trial. 13. He highlighted that the rights to freedoms of expression, assembly and association were guaranteed in the Constitution, laws and decrees. Violation of these fundamental freedoms constituted a criminal offence punishable by the penal law. Likewise, freedom of religion or belief was also protected in the Constitution and laws, especially the Prime Minister’s Decree 92. 14. He stated that the Government had continued to improve prison conditions and attached importance to training prison officials on international norms and principles concerning prison management and the treatment of offenders. 15. He noted that the rights of women, children and persons with disabilities were protected and promoted through the implementation of the relevant constitutional provisions and specific laws, decrees, national stratergies and action plans. 16. He stressed that, in the national processes for making, applying and enforcing laws, treaty obligations were taken into consideration and, in case of conflict between treaty obligations and national legislation, the treaty obligation shall prevail. 17. The Government attaches importance to raising awareness of and disseminating information concerning human rights treaties and the UPR recommendations, and to developing the capacity of government officials and stakeholders to implement them. 4