A/HRC/42/3 129. Argentina welcomed the plan of action to combat discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity and the Government’s role regarding the Safe Schools Declaration. 130. Armenia valued the efforts of Norway to preserve the culture and language of national minorities. It encouraged Norway to further develop its integration policy for migrants and minorities. 131. Australia welcomed an action plan against discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, and the establishment of the national human rights institution. 132. Azerbaijan expressed concern about the increase in hate speech against Muslims, people of African descent, Jews, asylum seekers, Sami, Roma and other groups. 133. The Bahamas acknowledged the establishment of a national human rights institution and the adoption of a plan to promote the rights of persons with disabilities. 134. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela was pleased that the integration policy of Norway was aimed, inter alia, at ensuring that migrants could work, study and participate in social life. 135. The delegation of Norway stated that the authorities carefully reviewed asylum applications on the basis of reliable information and research findings on possible threats applicants would experience upon their return to their home countries. Decisions on asylum applications were subject to appeal. The Government supported a policy of family immigration to ensure migrants’ right to a family life. At the same time, it made efforts to avoid practices of forced marriage and polygamy. 136. The Parliament had decided on the mandate of a commission to examine past assimilation policies directed at Sami and Kven communities, including by investigating the consequences of assimilation policies and proposing measures to ensure equality between the minority and majority populations. 137. Human rights remained an important cross-cutting theme in development assistance provided by Norway, which constituted 1 per cent of its gross national income and was aimed at achieving sustainable development by contributing to poverty reduction, to democracy-building and to human rights. 138. Norway supported the strengthening of the human rights pillar of the United Nations, including the work of OHCHR. 139. The delegation of Norway thanked all delegations, the troika and relevant stakeholders for their valuable contributions during the review. The Government would carefully consider all recommendations put forward during the interactive dialogue. II. Conclusions and/or recommendations 140. The following recommendations will be examined by Norway, which will provide responses in due time, but no later than the forty-second session of the Human Rights Council. 140.1 Ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on a communications procedure (Germany) (Croatia); 140.2 Ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on a communications procedure, as previously recommended (Portugal); 140.3 Consider ratifying the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on a communications procedure (Italy); 140.4 Consider ratifying the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (Italy) (Plurinational State of Bolivia); 10