A/HRC/27/12 55. El Salvador commended Costa Rica for the progress made since the last review, which had allowed the country to undertake an internal assessment of the situation nationwide. 56. Estonia welcomed progress made in the fields of gender equality and the rights of women and children, as well as on the decriminalization of defamation. It encouraged Costa Rica to allocate adequate resources for the effective implementation of laws, policies and programmes. It called for steps to improve conditions for indigenous communities. 57. Ethiopia welcomed measures taken to address violence against women, including the establishment of a high-level commission to monitor compliance with the Violence against Women Act. It commended the promulgation of the Trafficking in Persons Act. 58. France welcomed the ratification of CPED, as well as the commitment of Costa Rica to the abolition of the death penalty at the international level. France asked about measures to address overcrowding in prisons and facilitate the reintegration of detainees, as well as the rate of violent crime. 59. Germany welcomed the adoption of a rights-based National Policy for Children and Adolescents. It remained concerned about protection of children and protective mechanisms at the local level, as well as prison overcrowding. 60. Regarding ratification of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (ICRMW), Costa Rica indicated that it had previously believed that the existing laws, complemented by a resolution of the Constitutional Chamber, provided for the full protection of migrant workers and their families. However, the issue would be taken up again with greater impetus; Costa Rica therefore appreciated the recommendations that had been made in that regard. 61. Responding to comments made by Ecuador, Costa Rica indicated that it would not be able to accept recommendations or statements that were not based on reality. It was possible that there had been isolated cases of discrimination against migrant workers, which happened in every country, but it would not accept that there were no xenophobic policies in place and no systemic xenophobic actions taken. 62. In line with the voluntary commitments undertaken by Costa Rica during the last review, and under the framework of the 2001 World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, held in Durban, Costa Rica had adopted the National Policy for a society free from racism, racial discrimination and xenophobia, which aimed for an inclusive and more respectful society that embraced sociocultural and ethnic diversity. The Policy was the result of a joint process involving the State and civil society, based on the principle of “nothing about us without us” and targeting persons of African descent, indigenous or native peoples, migrants and refugees. The process had taken place under the framework of CIIDDHH and supported by OHCHR. 63. Costa Rica recognized that it faced challenges regarding indigenous peoples. The existence of a favourable judicial framework was insufficient to ensure full protection of the rights of communities if it was not accompanied by State policies and actions which sought the effective application of and compliance with the standards to which the State itself had committed. Costa Rica shared information about a recent positive experience with indigenous communities in the south. 64. The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples and the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination had made various comments and recommendations to Costa Rica relating to the situation of indigenous peoples, particularly since 2011. Those recommendations echoed the concerns and claims of the indigenous 8