A/HRC/27/9 Disabilities and the Optional Protocol thereto, as well as the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. It acknowledged the achievements of Dominica in reducing unemployment, ensuring free and universal access to education and combating sexual abuse against children. 48. Algeria said that it understood why Dominica had not submitted a national report, and asked about the support that the international community and OHCHR could provide in order to enable it to fulfil its obligations, in particular with regard to the submission of reports. It welcomed the ratification by Dominica of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Optional Protocol thereto, as well as its accession to the Trafficking in Persons Protocol. It expressed the view that Dominica could benefit from international capacity-building assistance. 49. Argentina congratulated Dominica for its ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Optional Protocol thereto, as well as the Trafficking in Persons Protocol. It encouraged Dominica to ratify other international human rights instruments to which it was not yet a party, and urged it to continue adopting measures to address domestic violence and physical ill-treatment of children. 50. Armenia noted that Dominica had not ratified a number of core international human rights instruments and emphasized the importance of ratifying the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide. It commended the efforts expended by Dominica to realize the right to education and called for the introduction of human rights education in school and university curricula. It welcomed improvements to the right to health and also valued the efforts of Dominica to promote the rights of persons with disabilities and of women. 51. Australia remained concerned by the legal provisions criminalizing sexual relations between lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons. It commended Dominica for its ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Trafficking in Persons Protocol. It welcomed the de facto moratorium on executions but remained concerned that the current legislation allowed for the death penalty. 52. The Bahamas expressed appreciation for the challenges facing Dominica in connection with financial and human resource constraints, climate change and natural disasters. Dominica had sustained a strong parliamentary democracy, promoting and protecting human rights within the context of respect for the rule of law. The Bahamas commended Dominica on its review of the legal framework, particularly with regard to combating domestic violence and physical abuse of children. It noted the multimedia awareness-raising campaign conducted to raise awareness of sexual abuse of children, and applauded the adoption of legislation supporting gender equality. The Bahamas was ready to support Dominica in the promotion of human rights. 53. Barbados commended Dominica for its efforts to strengthen its legal framework and to protect human rights, to review legislation relating to domestic violence and physical abuse of children, to reduce under-5 mortality rates, and to improve school enrolment rates. Dominica was committed to enhancing the social and economic rights of its citizens, but considerable resources were required in order for it to do so. Barbados called on the donor community to demonstrate greater sensitivity to the unique financing difficulties faced by small States. It recognized the challenges that Dominica faced in integrating its international obligations into national legislation. 54. Benin welcomed the progress made by Dominica in implementing recommendations from the first review. In particular, it noted the adoption by Dominica of laws and policies promoting equality and the empowerment of women, its creation of national committees to 9