A/HRC/28/42 formal signing ceremony, confirming the Government’s commitment to the process. The majority of recommendations set out in the guidance document were integrated into the Palestinian National Development Plan in February 2014, providing a strong human rightsbased framework for the four sectors covered by the Plan: social development, economic development, infrastructure and governance. 30. The accession of the State of Palestine to seven of the core international human rights treaties in April 2014 has provided an opportunity for OHCHR to build on the work described above with the Palestinian authorities, as well as the Palestinian Independent Commission for Human Rights and civil society, so that the political commitments contained in the Palestinian National Development Plan are implemented in accordance with the legal obligations contained in the treaties. Broad-based consultations are planned as part of the Government’s reporting exercise. Sierra Leone: responding to the Ebola virus disease outbreak 31. In May 2014, Sierra Leone experienced the start of its first outbreak of the Ebola virus disease. In addition to the death and human suffering caused by the epidemic, the knock-on effects will be devastating for the development of Sierra Leone in the coming years and may erode the gains made since the end of the war. The consequences are not limited to the health sector, as large parts of the country’s economy are being severely disrupted by the epidemic. Schools have also been closed following the declaration of a state of emergency, which seeks to control the spread of the disease by limiting public gatherings and freedom of movement. Likewise, courts are reportedly not processing criminal cases. That has led to a steady increase in the prison population, which besides increasing health risks among prisoners, fuels the potential for disturbances inside detention facilities. 32. Recognizing the Government’s role in bringing Ebola virus disease under control and providing emergency humanitarian assistance, the United Nations in Sierra Leone has significantly strengthened its response in support of the Government’s ongoing efforts. Since his arrival in April 2014, the Human Rights Adviser to the United Nations country team1 has provided substantive guidance to alert policymakers and the humanitarian sector to the serious human rights implications and concerns related to the outbreak, especially regarding vulnerable and disadvantaged groups. 33. As the combined efforts of the Government and the international community gather pace, it is essential that a human rights approach be continuously applied to guide the work of the United Nations and the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone, to inform advocacy by relevant stakeholders and to serve as an early warning system for the United Nations and the Government. The Human Rights Adviser is also working to promote increased participation and inclusiveness in the response to the outbreak. It will be crucial to ensure that the impending recovery and reconstruction effort is conducted in a transparent and accountable manner, in accordance with a human rights-based approach. West Africa: integration of women’s rights and empowerment in national policies 34. Over the past several years, the OHCHR Regional Office for West Africa has continued to promote the integration of women’s rights into the development and implementation of national policies and strategies in the region. In Burkina Faso, the Gambia and Senegal, national action plans have been adopted for the implementation of 1 The Human Rights Adviser was deployed under the United Nations Development Group human rights mainstreaming mechanism. 9