A/HRC/8/49 Page 4 of this process, which has also been discussed with the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe, a conference will be convened this year, at which the authorities and the main stakeholders from the civil society will discuss the guidelines for the Action Plan. 7. Administration of justice is recognized as a pre-condition for the full enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms, and several measures were adopted by the Government to strengthen the independence of the judiciary. These include a strategy for 2005 – 2007; a new system of evaluation of the professional activity; training and specialized courses for members of the judiciary; increased transparency and appropriate budgetary allotments. On the issue of combating discrimination, over the past years, the legal and institutional framework aimed at preventing and sanctioning all forms of discrimination has been steadily improved, and a comprehensive legislation has been developed which bans and punishes all forms of direct or indirect discrimination based on a number of 15 explicit criteria provided by the law. The National Council for Combating Discrimination has the authority to examine and punish discrimination cases, based on complaints and or information provided by individuals or legal persons or ex officio. 8. The situation of the Roma minority remains a special concern. In 2001, the Government adopted the Strategy for the Improvement of the Situation of Roma, which is the result of a collaboration between government authorities and Roma NGOs, which was then complemented by the General Master Plan of Measures developed to speed up the implementation of the Strategy, for which a complex network of special institutions, including a National Agency for Roma, was created. Among particular challenges regarding Roma were mentioned the Roma informal settlements, and the segregation in schools; the Ministry of Education, Research and Youth issued an order formally banning segregation of Roma pupils and adopted a methodology for the prevention and elimination of segregation of Roma children in schools. Further measures have been taken to solve the problem of Roma individuals without identification documents. 9. As regards gender equality, Romania adopted the National Strategy for Equal Opportunities for Women and Men (2006-2009) which provides for actions to promote women’s rights. It also adopted a law on equal opportunities for women and men. Special attention is also paid to groups exposed to multiple discrimination, especially Roma women. Several actions were taken by the Government as part of the efforts to implement recommendations of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). Special attention was paid to the issue of preventing and combating domestic violence and violence against women in the Government Programme for 2005-2008, and a national strategy has been adopted in that regard. As concerns protection and promotion of the rights of the child, the authorities placed great emphasis on reform and a large number of NGOs and charities have consistently assisted the Government and local communities in addressing issues relating to children. She informed on the newly established National Authority for the Protection of the Rights of the Child which intervenes in administrative and judicial procedures in order to ensure that the rights of children are observed. The National Authority for the Protection of the Rights of the Child has recently drafted the National Strategy for the protection and promotion of the child’s rights for 2008-2012, which is a comprehensive strategy for all groups of children, including children with disabilities. Recently, the Romanian authorities have started to address the challenge represented by the large number of children who suffer from the prolonged absence of their parents who left the country in search for job opportunities abroad. 10. The Romanian authorities adopted a number of legislative and organizational measures designed to address the whole range of problems related to the functioning of the penitentiary system, including security and the minimum comfort of detainees. The National Administration of Penitentiary carries out regular, unannounced and specialized inspections of detention facilities.