A/HRC/33/13 migrants. Panama also acknowledged the adoption of the laws on children and domestic violence, as well as the implementation of various social programmes aimed at reducing poverty. However, it was concerned that gender-based violence remained a serious and widespread problem. Panama made recommendations. 51. Paraguay welcomed the progress made in 2015 in the field of child rights, especially in relation to childcare, domestic violence and juvenile justice. It also highlighted the decriminalization of slander, the gender mainstreaming carried out by the gender affairs department of the Ministry of Social Transformation and the ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Paraguay urged the Government to continue its efforts to ensure the exercise of the rights of migrants, to eliminate trafficking and to address overcrowding in prisons. Paraguay made recommendations. 52. The delegation responded to the statement by the Netherlands about calls by some politicians for the death penalty to be brought back into use. It considered that the society of Antigua and Barbuda was not yet ready to take a quantum leap and remove the death penalty from its legislation. The fact that it was on the statute books had given some sort of security to the population. But the delegation recalled, once again, that the death penalty had not been implemented in decades. 53. A similar situation applied to issues pertaining to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons. The delegation considered that it would take time to sensitize Antiguan society, which was very moral and religious. The delegation added that if the Government were to force these issues, the reaction from society would be negative and regressive. 54. On family matters, the delegation noted that the Government was in the process of setting up a family court, as part of an Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States project. 55. Portugal congratulated Antigua and Barbuda on approving the Child Justice Bill, which was aimed at improving the situation of juveniles in conflict with the law. Portugal expressed concern both at the fact that detained juveniles were still not held separately from adults and at the overcrowding in prisons. Portugal commended the country’s efforts in tackling domestic and sexual violence and welcomed the adoption of the new Domestic Violence Bill and the national action plan for the period 2013-2018 to end gender-based violence. It was concerned that the Sexual Offences Act did not recognize rape within marriage in all circumstances. Portugal made recommendations. 56. Sierra Leone appreciated the efforts made since the last review. It noted with interest the de facto moratorium on the death penalty and expressed hope that the Government would again consider abolishing the death penalty. It also noted the adoption of the national action plan to end gender-based violence. In order to protect against trafficking in persons, Sierra Leone urged the Government to establish a legislative framework on refugee protection and asylum. It encouraged Antigua and Barbuda to ratify the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, 1989 (No. 169) and Domestic Workers Convention, 2011 (No. 189) of the International Labour Organization and to accede to the Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness. It stated that the Government should consider abolishing corporal punishment as a sentence and should take more effective steps to combat domestic violence as well as child sexual abuse. Engaging with OHCHR and other relevant United Nations organizations would be crucial in order for Antigua and Barbuda to be able to submit its reports to the relevant treaty bodies in a timely manner. Sierra Leone made recommendations. 57. Slovenia welcomed positive developments such as the decriminalization of libel, the abolition of legal distinctions between children based on their parents’ marital status, the adoption of a national action plan to end gender-based violence and the organization of campaigns to raise awareness about violence against women. It commended Antigua and 10 GE.16-10597