A/HRC/32/13 Introduction 1. The Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, established in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 5/1, held its twenty-fourth session from 18 to 29 January 2016. The review of Seychelles was held at the 11th meeting on 25 January 2016. The delegation of Seychelles was headed by Ambassador Barry Faure (Secretary of State, Foreign Affairs Department). At its 17th meeting, held on 28 January 2016, the Working Group adopted the report on Seychelles. 2. On 12 January 2016, the Human Rights Council selected the following group of rapporteurs (troika) to facilitate the review of Seychelles: Albania, Kenya and Portugal. 3. In accordance with paragraph 15 of the annex to Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 and paragraph 5 of the annex to Council resolution 16/21, the following documents were issued for the review of Seychelles: (a) A national report submitted/written presentation made in accordance with paragraph 15 (a) (A/HRC/WG.6/24/SYC/1); (b) A compilation prepared by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in accordance with paragraph 15 (b) (A/HRC/WG.6/24/SYC/2); (c) A summary prepared by OHCHR in accordance with paragraph 15 (c) (A/HRC/WG.6/24/SYC/3). 4. A list of questions prepared in advance by Germany, Liechtenstein, Mexico, Slovenia, Spain and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was transmitted to Seychelles through the troika. These questions are available on the extranet of the universal periodic review. I. Summary of the proceedings of the review process A. Presentation by the State under review 5. The delegation of Seychelles explained that Seychelles was a young republic and a multiparty democracy, built upon the foundations of a strong culture of respect for human rights, social justice, equality and non-discrimination. It added that, since its previous universal periodic review, in 2011, significant strides had been made in terms of the promotion and protection of human rights. 6. Regarding the rights of the child, the delegation noted that Seychelles was committed to ensuring that such rights were fully respected, promoted and protected. In February 2015, the Government of Seychelles had set up a dedicated police child protection team, which specialized in child protection cases and responded to instances of neglect and child abuse, allowing such cases to be processed by law enforcement in an efficient manner. The delegation added that numerous sensitization programmes continued to be held on preventing and combating child abuse and that a juvenile detention centre was currently under development. 7. The delegation reported that Seychelles had ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, and had also signed the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on a communications procedure. 3