A/HRC/33/4 22. Most of the worst forms of child labour had a punitive character and the Ministry of Justice and Police was the competent authority responsible for handling that issue. 23. The worst forms of child labour included: slavery, trafficking, debt bondage and other forms of forced labour; forced recruitment for use in armed conflict; child pornography and child prostitution, sale of children and illicit activities such as drug-related activities (sale and production of drugs by children); and hazardous work. 24. Legislative actions that had been undertaken included: the Decree on Hazardous Work of Young Persons, which regulated labour by juveniles and contained a list of hazardous labour; and the revised moral offences under the Penal Code, which included some of the worst forms of child labour with a punitive character, namely articles 293 (child pornography), 303a (youth prostitution) and 311 (giving up children for activities such as begging, hazardous work or hazardous artistic performances). 25. Suriname had also ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography in 2012. 26. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Housing had also undertaken preparatory activities for setting up shelters, including shelters for child victims of trafficking. 27. The ratification instruments for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict would be deposited in 2016. 28. The removal of the death penalty from the Penal Code was a first step towards arriving at the ratification of the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty. The timeline for removal of the death penalty from the Military Penal Code was set for the end of December 2016. 29. Concerning the issuance of a standing invitation to the special procedure mandate holders, the former Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples had visited the country to provide technical assistance upon request of the Government of Suriname. Suriname acknowledged the contribution of special procedure mandate holders to the promotion and protection of human rights. In consultation with the Government, they had the opportunity to send missions to Suriname. 30. Suriname remained committed to promoting and defending all human rights for all. Based on the principle of equality, by which all who were on the territory of Suriname had an equal claim to protection of person and property, Suriname did not discriminate on the grounds of birth, sex, race, language, religious origin, education, political beliefs, economic position or any other status (article 8 sub 2 of the Constitution of Suriname). 31. As a multicultural society, the subject of sexual orientation and gender identity and expression required a broad-based consultation process at the national level, involving all sectors of society, including the civil society. In that respect, the Ministry of Justice and Police would commence such a consultation process in July 2016, starting with faith-based organizations. 32. With the amendment to the Penal Code, which had come into force on 13 April 2015, Suriname made a further step in the direction of protection of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons. 33. The definition of discrimination enshrined in article 126a of the Penal Code applied to everyone, taking into account the principle of equality. 34. In articles 175 and 176 of the Penal Code, defamation of persons because of their sexual preference was criminalized. Instigation to hate, discrimination or violence (article GE.16-11346 5