A/HRC/17/23 prevent such acts. Recommendations from the commission are at the basis of Turkey’s policy on combating violence against women. 17. Some institutions focus on specific types of violence against women, such as the National Committee to Combat Human Trafficking in Bahrain, the Commission of the President of the Republic against Femicide in Guatemala, a national committee to fight against gender-based violence, including female genital mutilation, in Mauritania, the National Domestic Violence Committee in Mauritius, the Family Violence Dialogue Group in Singapore, and the Forced Marriage Unit in the United Kingdom, a joint initiative of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Home Office. In Guatemala, the Office for the Defence of Indigenous Women was created on the basis of the recognition that indigenous women are victims of multiple discriminations because of their gender, ethnic origin and socio-economic situation. 18. Some respondents, including Argentina, Guatemala, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mexico and Panama, mentioned the creation or existence of special units or offices in the judiciary branch and courts, including special prosecution units, dealing with women, and violence against women and/or human trafficking. Spain created specific courts and public prosecutors to deal with violence against women. The United Kingdom has established special domestic violence courts. Finally, Serbia and Mauritius, among others, mentioned the creation of special police units to deal with domestic violence and violence against women and to provide specific services to victims of such violence. 2. National action plans and strategies 19. National action plans and strategies are deemed to constitute good practice to prevent, combat and eradicate violence against women, providing for overall policy guidance and direction. Most plans or strategies are multifaceted and involve a variety of both governmental and non-governmental actors. Several plans and/or strategies include a specific focus on the prevention of violence against women, such as the Second Plan of Action to Combat Violence against Women of Germany. Very often these plans and strategies have a limited duration and set out specific objectives to be attained, such as the implementation of the national law. Yet very few respondents clearly stated how these plans and strategies are being monitored and assessed to measure their impact. These plans are sometimes replicated with more specific plans at the provincial (especially in federal States such as Canada) or local level, or within different State ministries. 20. Cambodia, Germany, Greece and Guatemala, among others, have integral national action plans, strategies or programmes to eliminate violence against women. The National Action Plan of Argentina was elaborated by a multidisciplinary team of experts taking into account data analysis. In 2007, the Government of Brazil launched a national pact to combat violence against women with a specific focus on vulnerable women, such as rural, black and indigenous women. This pact has four comprehensive strategic objectives: (a) strengthening the network of attention to women and implementing the Maria da Penha law; (b) protecting sexual and reproductive rights and implementing the Integrated Plan to Combat the Feminization of AIDS; (c) combating the trafficking and sexual exploitation of women; and (d) promoting the human rights of women in detention centres. In Lithuania, an annual report is produced on the implementation of measures from the national strategy on violence against women, and an assessment of the strategy prior its finalization is planned. 21. Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Mauritius, Panama, Slovenia and Turkey, among others, have national action plans or programmes on family or domestic violence. In Latvia, the programme for reducing domestic violence for 2008-2011 presents three strategies: (a) the study of the prevalence of domestic violence to ensure a sufficient level of knowledge of the issue; (b) awareness-raising and information; and (c) the establishment of a unified system for service provision for victims of domestic violence through the cooperation of various 7