A/HRC/25/4 was being raised among the population, and women who performed it were offered alternative occupations so that they could stop. Several regions had renounced the practice; of around 5,000 communities, more than 4,500 had announced that they had abandoned excision. Efforts were now focused on the remaining 500 communities, using the threepronged approach mentioned previously. Furthermore, the Senegalese authorities had noted the need to develop regional cooperation in order to render their approach more effective. 58. Efforts had been made with regard to the situation of children, particularly in the area of education. Ten years’ compulsory schooling, from the age of 6 to 16, had made it possible to get children off the streets. Particular attention had been paid to girls’ education and their baccalaureate results in 2010 and 2011 had been very encouraging. In fact, 40 per cent of those who had passed that examination had been girls. It was also important to highlight the modernization of the daraas, which gave children a real education in Arabic, French and the national languages and took them off the streets, where they were exposed to danger. 59. Regarding places of detention, the position of Director of the National Observatory of Places of Deprivation of Liberty had been created in 2011 in accordance with the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. Although the resources at its disposal were not yet sufficient, the aim was to enable the Observatory to make unannounced visits to the 37 places of detention in Senegal. After visiting prisons, the Observatory had made recommendations relating to health, food and reducing prison overcrowding. 60. In Senegal, homosexuality was not an offence as such; article 319 of the Criminal Code referred to unnatural acts. Being homosexual was not an offence in Senegal and no legal proceedings had been brought against persons based solely on their homosexuality. 61. Senegal had decided to try the former Chadian president Hissène Habré in accordance with the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and the universal competence mechanism. He had been accused of several crimes and it would be for the competent courts to determine the truth of the accusations. Senegal undertook to guarantee him due process and a fair, impartial and transparent trial, free from any kind of pressure. 62. Under Senegalese legislation, rape was an offence punishable by between 5 and 10 years’ imprisonment, and a 10-year sentence was automatically handed down in cases of the rape of a child under 13. 63. Gabon welcomed the ratification by Senegal of virtually all international and regional legal instruments and noted its cooperation with United Nations human rights mechanisms. It noted its commitment to promote and protect human rights and combat all forms of discrimination. It made recommendations. 64. Germany commended Senegal for its progress in eradicating FGM. It asked whether the Children’s Code would define a child as a person up to the age of 18 and whether the Family Code would ensure a minimum age of marriage of 18. It made recommendations. 65. Ghana commended Senegal on pursuing its efforts to expand basic education for boys and girls and universal health care, and to continue promoting gender parity. It encouraged Senegal to counter any complacency in promoting and protecting human rights. It made recommendations. 66. Greece noted continued restrictions in freedom of expression and was concerned about the situation involving children’s rights. It also noted that Senegal continued to discriminate against sexual orientation. It made recommendations. 8 GE.13-18935