A/HRC/44/15 45. Algeria welcomed the implementation of the Multi-Country Western Pacific Integrated HIV/TB Programme by the country’s Ministry of Health. It also welcomed the implementation of the Reproduction, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health Programme, aimed at supporting the improvement and extension of health services in order to fill gaps and increase access to quality health care. 46. Argentina congratulated Kiribati on its accession to the Convention against Torture. 47. Australia commended Kiribati on its efforts to strengthen human rights, including development of national policies on youth; disability; and gender equality and women’s development. It acknowledged the country’s progress in expanding access to essential services, particularly education and health. It also commended Kiribati for the steps taken to reduce violence against women and girls, but noted that it remained a significant challenge within the existing criminal justice framework. 48. Bahamas congratulated Kiribati on efforts in the areas of mitigation, adaptation and resilience-building, including through the Climate Change Act 2019, which had mainstreamed the rights of women, children and persons with disabilities. It also welcomed the country’s efforts in addressing gender-based violence, including the Family Peace Act and the Shared Implementation Plan for the Policy to Eliminate Sexual and Gender-Based Violence. 49. Brazil commended Kiribati for the National Disability Policy and Action Plan 2018– 2021 and the Inclusive Education Policy, and it encouraged Kiribati to fully implement them. It also encouraged Kiribati to continue its efforts to implement the Family Peace Act, which criminalized domestic violence, and to provide residents living both in urban and rural areas, including in the outer islands, with safe drinking water and sanitation. 50. Canada commended Kiribati for launching the Pacific Partnership to End Violence against Women and Girls Programme in June 2019, and for establishing the Kiribati Women and Children Support Centre in January 2018. It urged Kiribati to sign and ratify core international human rights instruments, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. 51. Chile welcomed the country’s ratification of the Convention against Torture, and it urged Kiribati to implement the Convention in its legislation, by criminalizing torture and adopting measures to prevent it. It remained concerned about the prevalence of sexual abuse against children and child labour, despite the existence of legislation criminalizing such activities, as well as the persistence of gender stereotypes that halted women’s political and economic participation. 52. China welcomed the country’s proactive response to climate change, as well as its efforts to develop education and health and to promote gender equality. It called on the international community to provide constructive assistance to Kiribati, considering the many challenges the country faced in the promotion and protection of human rights. 53. Cuba congratulated Kiribati on its efforts in combating gender inequality and violence against women. 54. Denmark congratulated Kiribati for its efforts to combat domestic violence but noted that violence and discrimination targeted at members of the LGBTI community remained a concern. It also commended Kiribati for its efforts in reducing maternal mortality. It remained concerned, however, about the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections and teenage pregnancies. 55. In the field of freedom of expression and opinion, the delegation reported that Kiribati had experienced border control issues and that the flow and entry of foreigners had become hard to detect. Concerns had arisen some three years previously when certain foreigners visiting as tourists had been found to be in breach of their permits and had ended up making a documentary on Kiribati, in which it had been falsely reported that the country was sinking under the rising waters of climate change. Those acts of disrespect for the country’s sovereignty had prompted the Government to tighten laws for visiting film- 8