A/HRC/13/3 on the comments and requests coming from the Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, the Independent Expert on minority issues and the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Belgium stressed the importance of raising awareness among public officials to combat racism and of reprimanding the racist actions taken by these agents. Belgium asked what measures the Government planned to take to combat this phenomenon among public authorities. Belgium made recommendations. 36. Canada welcomed the ratification by the state of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Canada noted with concern reports of discriminatory denial of the right to nationality to Dominicans of Haitian descent. Canada also recognized the efforts of the State to combat trafficking of children, women and men and appreciated its cooperation with Canada in the arrest of human traffickers. Canada made recommendations. 37. Egypt commended the creation of a new mechanism within the Offices of the Ombudsmen and dispute mediation centres in cooperation with the Office of the Attorney General and civil society organizations. It highlighted the establishment in October 2007 of the National Commission to Combat Human Trafficking and People-Smuggling. It also welcomed the 2006-2007 undertaking of a national consultation on excellence in education and the drawing up a 10 year plan for all levels of education in the country and its commitment to put the plan into operation over the period 2008-2018. Egypt made recommendations. 38. Brazil recognized the significant efforts made in the area of human rights, reflected by the establishment of the Interagency Commission for Human Rights and the Institute of promotion and protection of Human Rights and by the prohibition of corporal punishment at schools and in the judiciary system. Brazil congratulated the Dominican Republic for its launching of a national strategy on social inclusion. It welcomed the establishment of a bilateral commission between the Dominican Republic and Haiti. However, Brazil expressed its concerns with regard to issues related to gender violence and migrants. Brazil made recommendations. 39. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland noted the absence of a national human rights institution in line with the Paris Principles. While welcoming the progress made in modernizing the prison system, it remained concerned about problematic conditions in the old-style prisons, including overcrowding, poor hygiene and criminality, and poorly trained personnel. It was concerned about the allegations of unlawful killings and increasing violence committed by Dominican security forces, and the absence of independent and transparent investigations. With regard to racism and discrimination against Haitians and Dominicans of Haitian descent, the United Kingdom recalled the importance of equality to all in access to health care, education and freedom of movement. The United Kingdom made recommendations. 40. Cuba noted positively the efforts being made to address the combat and eliminate all forms of discrimination, such as affirmative actions establishing quotas for women to be elected to public positions, the adoption of a National Plan for Gender Equality and measures to establish preferential access to the courts for victims of any type of discrimination. Cuba further noted with interest the programmes being implemented to address the problem of exclusion and lack of attention to the most impoverished sectors of the population, in particular the programme “Eating Comes First”. Cuba made recommendations. 41. Spain noted the efforts made by the Dominican Republic in the area of fundamental rights and freedoms. Furthermore, Spain welcomed the abolition of the death penalty and expressed its hope that the Dominican Republic would ratify the Second Optional Protocol 7