A/HRC/40/16 72. France acknowledged the ratification of human rights treaties and the abolition of the death penalty in the 2015 Constitution. It noted, however, that additional efforts were needed to improve economic and social rights. 73. The Congolese delegation provided additional information. There were currently no hostilities on the territory of the Congo. The Pool region was at peace and the disarmament and reintegration into society of the militias was under way. The humanitarian response programme, which included recovery for persons returning to their places of origin, had been launched. Displaced persons had been returning since the signing of the cessation of hostilities agreement. Infrastructure and housing, social services and education and health facilities were included in the Programme and their regeneration had begun. 74. The Congolese Government was working to improve detention conditions by building prison facilities, and they would be still further improved by the ongoing legislative reform process. 75. Following the adoption of the 2015 Constitution, the Government had committed itself to overhauling the system for human rights protection and promotion on a national level. 76. The rights of indigenous peoples were addressed under a policy of positive discrimination. The Government had embarked upon a wide-ranging reform and had issued many decrees to improve their status. 77. The death penalty had been abolished by the 2015 Constitution. The Government had adopted an act that would enshrine the abolition in law and would enable ratification of the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty. 78. The current Criminal Code guaranteed the independence of the justice system, progress towards fair trials and due process. The Government had presented a bill on establishing a completely independent and separate high authority to combat corruption. 79. Efforts in awareness-raising, identification, repatriation and care for child victims of trafficking had been stepped up. Tripartite meetings with the other countries affected had been held, since the issue involved nationals of other countries who were resident in the Congo. 80. Despite the current financial difficulties, a social security safety net was in place to improve living conditions for people living in extreme poverty and to put an end to its intergenerational transmission. Under a pilot programme, a cash grant had begun to be distributed to identified families, to support schooling for children, health care and food consumption. 81. The Congo had launched a project to build rehabilitation centres for victims of violence, including women living with HIV. The bill on sexual violence was in the process of adoption. The draft family and personal code covered discrimination and stigmatization, the situation of widows and the recognition of customary marriage to ensure inheritance rights for widows. 82. Regarding violence during periods of conflict, the Congo had hosted a meeting of the United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa on the subject of drafting a regional action plan for the implementation of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000). 83. Gabon commended the Congo for the reforms to promote and protect the rights of women, children and persons with disabilities, and welcomed measures for the protection of the environment. Gabon also welcomed the reform of the Penal Code, in particular the special protection granted to widows and widowers. 84. Georgia welcomed the ratification by the Congo of human rights treaties, and efforts deployed to strengthen its legal framework to promote and protect human rights, notably the introduction of article 8, paragraph 4, in the Constitution, abolishing the death penalty. 85. Germany commended the Congo for abolishing the death penalty in its 2015 Constitution, and for the judicial sector dialogue held between the European Union and the Congo in April 2018, which Germany hoped would be followed by further dialogues. GE.18-22821 7