A/HRC/34/4 21. The delegation stressed that fighting poverty was one of the Government’s priorities and pointed to the Accelerated Growth and Employment Creation Strategy for 2013-2017, the National Fund for Inclusive Finance, the Emergency Programme for Community Development, dedicated programmes ensuring access to financial services for the poor, farmers and young people and the national Cash Transfer Programme. These policies and programmes had resulted in a decline in poverty in Togo, which had been chosen as a pilot country for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. 22. Major reforms had also been instituted in the agricultural sector, where 15,000 jobs had been generated through the National Agricultural Investment and Food Security Programme. The progress made in combating hunger and malnutrition had been recognized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in 2013 and 2015. Nevertheless, significant challenges remained. 23. The proportion of the population with access to drinking water had risen from 42 per cent in 2012 to 50 per cent in 2015, while the electrification rate had increased from 26.57 per cent in 2013 to 28.3 per cent in 2014. In 2014, electricity had been brought to more than 80 communities as part of the rural electrification programme. 24. With regard to access to health care, the delegation highlighted the subsidies that covered 90 per cent of the cost of caesarian sections, the campaigns to treat obstetric fistula, the promotion of free malaria treatment, the creation of an observatory to combat discrimination against and stigmatization of persons living with HIV/AIDS and the provision of seven free vaccinations for women and children. 25. Other measures taken in this regard included the creation of a national laboratory for the quality control of medicines, the establishment of a drug regulatory authority, the recruitment of 1,107 health-care professionals, the award of 117 training grants and the provision of care for more than 80 per cent of pregnancies. The number of births attended by qualified personnel had increased from 60 per cent in 2010 to 73 per cent in 2014. 26. Regarding the right to work, the national employment policy had enabled more than 100,000 young people to benefit from support for training, employment, financing and entrepreneurship. This had led to a reduction in the youth unemployment rate from 8.1 per cent to 3.4 per cent between 2011 and 2015. 27. In the area of the right to education, Togo had updated its sectoral plan for 20142025. Efforts made to improve access to and universal completion of primary education included the construction of 999 classrooms equipped with latrines and wells in 2014 and the conversion of 85 community-run schools into public schools. A total of 207 teachers and trainers had been recruited. 28. With regard to higher education, the delegation made reference to the computerization of the Directorate of the National Library and Archives and the introduction of regulations governing private higher education. 29. The new Criminal Code and the revised Individuals and Family Code contained provisions aimed at eliminating discrimination against women. In addition, efforts had been made to reduce gender inequality, including through the encouragement of women’s participation in public affairs, the implementation of the women’s centres programme and the establishment of a number of counselling centres for gender-based violence throughout the country. 30. The representation of women in parliament had risen from 11.11 per cent in 2007 to 18.68 per cent in 2016. In contrast, the percentage of women in government had dropped slightly. GE.16-23163 5