A/HRC/45/2 Salesiane di Don Bosco and Mouvement International d’Apostolate des Milieux Sociaux Independants, (by video message) welcomed the acceptance of recommendations 109 and 113, aiming to make primary education inclusive, compulsory, and free for all. However, it was deeply concerned with the dropout and low enrolment rates in secondary schools disproportionately affecting children living in rural areas. It welcomed the acceptance of recommendation 152 to combat the elimination of child labour. However, children in Lesotho continued to be exposed to the worst forms of child exploitation including herding, domestic work and sexual exploitation. It called on Lesotho to allocate resources to subsidize school-related expenses for disadvantaged students in primary school and facilitate access to secondary school through the progressive elimination of fees, especially in rural areas, to fully implement the National Action Plan For the Elimination of Child Labor and the Children’s Protection and Welfare Act of 2011 to eliminate worst forms of child labour, and to adopt policies and programmes to eliminate all forms of exploitation, violence, and gender discrimination against women and girls. 524. The Center for Global Nonkilling, co-sponsored by Conscience and peace tax international (CPTI), stated that Lesotho was the country with the highest suicide rate in Africa. Homicides rate was also too high and Lesotho was one of the countries still retaining in its Constitution a permit to kill in case of arrest, escape, mutiny or riot. Lesotho should be showing the example of protecting the right to life. In its 2019 SDG voluntary national review, Lesotho stated it had established a “directorate for disputes prevention and resolution”. It advocated for full funding of such peace initiatives. 525. Action Canada for Population and Development (by video message) was encouraged by the acceptance of recommendations that called for strengthened legislative and policy framework on health, including sexual and reproductive health services, for persons with disabilities, women and young people, in particular. However, it was disappointed by Lesotho not addressing rights relating to sexual orientation and gender identity. Lesotho’s use of culture and religion to justify its failure to accept these universal periodic review recommendations was in contradiction to Resolution 275 of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and other international human rights commitments and undermined the Constitution of Lesotho. It called on Lesotho to: amend the legislative framework to explicitly decriminalize and protect same-sex persons and relationships; partner with LGBTI organizations to train State actors, especially healthcare workers and law enforcement, to eradicate stigma and promote non-discrimination; urgently approve the Domestic Violence Bill 2018, especially with the rampant rise in gender-based violence with a great focus on the Child and Gender Protection Unit to ensure access to safe and legal abortions and thereby reduce the rate of maternal mortality and morbidity. 526. Rencontre Africaine pour la défense des droits de l’homme (by video message) commended Lesotho for its advancement of human rights through structural reforms such as the Child Protection and Welfare Act and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act. It took note of Lesotho’s efforts to align its legislation with international human rights instruments such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the ratification of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, as well as the progress made towards the establishment of a Human Rights Commission. However, it noted that gender-based violence was still prevalent and that, in 2020, one in three women had suffered physical or sexual violence. It was also alarmed by the increase in corruption, which significantly hindered development. It called on Lesotho to take measures against corruption, abuse of power, and any form of gender-based violence, and promote an open and transparent government. 4. Concluding remarks of the State under review 527. The Vice-President stated that, based on the information provided, out of 211 recommendations received, 168 enjoy the support of Lesotho, and 43 are noted. 92