A/HRC/43/17 9. Criminal legislation had been improved to address cases of organized crime and corruption, trafficking in human beings and trafficking in children. Acts of enforced disappearance had been introduced into criminal law as a separate offence. The Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina had decided to abolish the death penalty provision in the Republika Srpska Constitution. A monitoring team had been appointed to conduct a continuous process of monitoring and evaluation of the Action Plan for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings 2016–2019. 10. All criminal codes in Bosnia and Herzegovina contained provisions prohibiting the instigation of racial, ethnic, religious and other hatred. Initiatives had been launched to harmonize the criminal codes in order to improve legislation suppressing hate speech. The Communications Regulatory Agency was responsible for imposing sanctions on media that broadcast hate speech. 11. The Parliamentary Assembly had adopted the Platform for Peace with the aim of better preventing, promoting and protecting human rights and building peace, coexistence, tolerance and respect for diversity in Bosnia and Herzegovina. 12. The Institution of Human Rights Ombudsmen of Bosnia and Herzegovina had developed a special report on the situation of journalists and cases of threats to journalists and issued a set of recommendations to all institutions. The Parliamentary Assembly had accepted all the recommendations and the Council of Ministers had approved an action plan for human rights education and training of journalists and media professionals. 13. All citizens had the right to free access to information available to public institutions under the relevant State and entity laws, and the Human Rights Ombudsmen was responsible for investigating violations of that right. 14. Significant progress had been achieved in implementing the rights enshrined in annex VII to the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina through real contributions to the restoration of confidence, reconciliation and stability in the country and the region. Tangible results had been achieved in finding sustainable and fair solutions at the regional level for returnees, internally displaced persons and refugees from Bosnia and Herzegovina. 15. The legal framework for legal aid throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina had been improved and the Law on Aliens and the Law on Asylum were aligned with European standards of non-refoulement. 16. The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina had improved the legal framework for the protection of survivors of sexual violence. The Republika Srpska had passed a law on the protection of victims of wartime torture, including victims of sexual violence. 17. Entity-level labour laws had been improved, especially in terms of protection against discrimination, as had the legislation on social protection of children in terms of establishing a foster care system. 18. Progress had been made in the development of relevant policies for vulnerable groups of children. Bosnia and Herzegovina had implemented an action plan for children, which was one of the mechanisms for monitoring implementation of the recommendations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child. The Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on a communications procedure had been ratified. 19. Funds for the employment of persons with disabilities had been ensured via entity funds, and new strategies for improving the situation of persons with disabilities based on the disability policy of Bosnia and Herzegovina had been adopted. 20. Religious rights and freedoms were respected in compliance with the Law on Freedom of Religion and the Legal Status of Churches and Religious Communities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the State financially supported the activities of the Interreligious Council as an important body promoting religious tolerance. 21. Significant steps forward had been made in the development of institutional capacities for gender equality and the laws guaranteeing gender equality had been improved. Gender-responsive budgeting was being introduced. 3