A/HRC/19/2 Ireland’s intention to establish a disability forum and expressed the hope that this initiative would result in greater empowerment for people with disabilities. 558. The Islamic Republic of Iran hoped that the recommendations would be implemented by Ireland. It remained concerned over incidences of human rights violations in the country, especially with regard to racism, xenophobia, discrimination against Muslims and persons belonging to minorities; lack of legislation proscribing racial profiling by the police and other law enforcement personnel; and the low living standards in many prisons, including overcrowding and inadequate sanitation and health care. The Islamic Republic of Iran had made a number of recommendations to Ireland. 3. General comments made by other relevant stakeholders 559. The Irish Human Rights Commission welcomed the wide range of issues raised and the recommendations made during Ireland’s review. It stated that the report of the working group could serve as a template for advancing human rights issues, and hoped that Ireland’s progress in implementing the recommendations would underscore its application for membership to the Human Rights Council. It stressed the need for Ireland to guarantee sufficient resources to the Human Rights and Equality Commission. Ireland needed to make serious, sustained and quantifiable efforts in a number of core areas identified by the working group in its report. 560. Federatie van Nederlandse Verenigingen tot Integratie Van Homoseksualiteit – COC Nederland, speaking also on behalf of ILGA-Europe and GLEN, welcomed progress in addressing the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons. It welcomed Ireland’s commitment to progressing same-sex marriage through the Constitutional Convention, and urged Ireland to address the legal recognition and support of children in same-sex-headed families. With regard to challenges, it was essential that Ireland remain committed to promoting full equality of young LGBT people. COC Nederland remained concerned by legal provisions allowing for discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in certain institutions, and called for legislative reform. 561. Action Canada for Population and Development, speaking on behalf of the Irish Family Planning Association and Sexual Rights Initiative, expressed concern with regard to Ireland’s rejection of all the recommendations on women’s reproductive rights. These recommendations were consistent with the criticism made by treaty bodies. The rejection of these recommendations was unacceptable and amounted to a considered disregard by Ireland of its human rights obligations, and fell short of the principles of universality, indivisibility and interdependence. The European Women’s Lobby79 expressed concern at the rejection of recommendations 108.4 to 108.9 on the regulation of abortion. It made reference to another accepted recommendation (107.4), and called on the Government to institute a statutory inquiry and compensation scheme for the Magdalene laundries abuse. The European Women’s Lobby expressed concern at Ireland’s response to recommendation 107.23 calling for the implementation and an independent assessment of the national women’s strategy, and noted that an independent review would enhance the strategy. It urged Ireland to sign the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence. 79 216 The statement was supported by AkidWA, Banulacht, Cáirde, the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, the Irish Family Planning Association, the Immigrant Council of Ireland, Justice for Magdalenes, the Migrant Rights Centre of Ireland, the National Collective of Community-Based Women’s Networks, the National Traveller Women’s Forum, the National Women’s Council of Ireland, OPEN, the Pavee Point Travellers Centre and Women’s Aid. GE.13-14768