A/HRC/31/17 Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29) and the ILO Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 (No. 105). 29. As a State party to these conventions, Sao Tome and Principe had taken steps to safeguard the rights of the child. A central aim of the Constitution and of national laws and public policies to address discrimination, exploitation, sexual violence, trafficking and child abuse was to guarantee children’s development and to promote and protect their rights in line with the principles established in the Convention on the Rights of the Child. 30. The delegation emphasized that the new Penal Code contained several articles aimed at protecting the rights of the child and at establishing severe penalties for violations of those rights. 31. Working in conjunction with the social partners and those engaged in the country’s development, the Government had demonstrated its commitment to the protection of children by drafting, approving and adopting a national social prot ection strategy and policy; issuing guidelines concerning children in alternative care; developing a programme for the first 1,000, most critical days of a child’s life; launching a parental education programme; and running national advertising campaigns to raise awareness of and disseminate information about the rights of children. It had also drafted and approved the first national policy document on the protection of children in Sao Tome and Principe. The policy document set out guidelines for preventive action, participatory activities and the punishment of persons responsible for any form of violence against or abuse or exploitation of children and was an instrument of key importance for the child protection system in Sao Tome and Principe. 32. In conclusion, the delegation, speaking on behalf of the Government, reiterated its awareness of the importance of international treaties and conventions for the protection and promotion of human rights and democracy. It added that those conventions and treaties would be submitted to the National Assembly for approval and subsequent ratification later in the month. B. Interactive dialogue and responses by the State under review 33. During the interactive dialogue, 51 delegations made statements. Recommendations made during the dialogue can be found in section II of the present report. 34. Angola expressed its satisfaction with the process of reform of the justice sector that the Government had implemented, which was aimed at improving the quality of the judicial system. It encouraged Sao Tome and Principe to continue its efforts aimed at improving the conditions of prisoners, taking account of their human rights. It also supported the measures taken to curb the rural exodus and improve the socioeco nomic conditions of people in rural areas. Angola made recommendations. 35. Canada welcomed the steps taken by Sao Tome and Principe to implement the Millennium Development Goals. It commended the country for the progress achieved on ensuring primary education for all and reducing child mortality. Canada expressed concern about continued reports of pervasive domestic violence, and of women ’s reluctance to bring legal action. It also stressed the importance of addressing these issues, including by raising awareness about domestic violence. Canada made recommendations. 36. Chad noted with satisfaction the consultative procedure used for the elaboration of the national report, and the significant advances in human rights including the 6/25 GE.16-00396