A/HRC/16/7 98. Saudi Arabia noted the creation of an independent human rights commission in conformity with 2008 constitution. It also noted with appreciation the accession to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, and the Convention against Torture. It praised the efforts made in the education sector by making it free and compulsory. It noted that encouragement to the private sector had proved that Maldives recognized education as a human right. It made a recommendation. 99. Mauritius noted with interest that Maldives had been in the forefront calling for special recognition of the vulnerabilities of small island developing States to challenges such as climate change and natural disasters. It also appreciated the steps taken to withdraw reservations to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Noting challenges faced by Maldives, Mauritius called on the international community to provide required assistance to enable it to better uphold human rights. II. Conclusions and/or recommendations 100. The following recommendations will be examined by Maldives, which will provide responses in due course, but no later than the 16th session of the Human Rights Council, in March 2011. The response of Maldives to these recommendations will be included in the outcome report adopted by the Council at its 16th session, in March 2011: 100.1. Consider acceding to ICRMW (Bosnia and Herzegovina); 100.2. Accelerate the process of the ratification of ICRMW (Algeria); 100.3. Consider the ratification of ICRMW and the Protocol to prevent, suppress and punish trafficking in persons, especially women and children (Philippines); 100.4. Ratify promptly the Optional Protocol to ICESCR and the Optional Protocol to CRPD (Spain); 100.5. Sign and/or ratify the Second Optional Protocol to ICCPR; the Optional Protocol to ICESR; ICRMW; the Optional Protocol to CRPD; and the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (Argentina); 100.6. Accede to the Second Optional Protocol to ICCPR, prohibiting the death penalty in all circumstances (France); 100.7. Ratify ICRMW, taking into account national consultations held in this connection (Mexico); 100.8. Ratify ICRMW in order to enhance the full enjoyment of human rights (Palestine); 100.9. Ratify ICRMW, ensuring that the rights to freedom of religion or belief of all migrant workers and members of their families are respected, inter alia (Ecuador); 100.10. Consider ratifying ILO core conventions, the 1951 Refugee Convention and the 1967 Protocol thereto, and the Protocol to prevent, suppress and punish trafficking in persons, especially women and children (Brazil); 14